Polish woman refuses to leave India, says she is devotee of Lord Krishna

MUMBAI: Over the last 24 days, Anandini (34) and her two-year-old daughter have made the first floor of Juhu police station their home. Cops provide them food and even money whenever the need arises. And yet everyone realises that the situation is untenable, and that the mother and child will have to leave, soon. Born Joanna Malgoriata Kucharska, Anandini is a Polish citizen.

A staunch Krishna devotee, she came to India in 2008. Later, her passport was allegedly taken away by her ex-husband, and her visa expired. Presently, Juhu police is in process of deporting her. A neighbouring temple handed her over to the cops, as she did not have proper documents. “I will not go back to Poland. I love India, I love Hindu culture. My daughter was born here. India is everything to me and I have lost my heart to her,” Anandini told MiD DAY.

Two woman constables remain around her day and night. Some cops acknowledged that the woman has now become something of a nuisance, and does not even listen to them. She only insists that she should not be made to leave India. Joanna said, “When I was 20 years old, Lord Krishna’s preachers came to Poland and I was inspired. I wanted to become a true Krishna devotee and turned Hindu in Poland.

However, my family rejected me and my community forced me to revert to my religion. My parents and brother rejected me, and several people abused me. So I came to Mumbai on a tourist visa and stayed in Vrindavan and Mathura. I wanted to adhere to the culture and therefore lived at Radha Kund.”

In a year Joanna’s visa expired. She was also in a relationship with a man at the Vrindavan ashram. She claims that this man, whom she married, later broke up with her and chucked her passport. Cradling her baby, she was wandering from one place to another. Three months ago she came to the Radhe Krishna shrine in Juhu. She also alleges that the temple owes her Rs 70,000 that she had paid so she would be allowed to stay. On April 10, the temple authorities delivered her to Juhu police.

Brajharidas, president of the ISKCON temple in Juhu said, “When we found out that she does not have legal documents to stay in India, we immediately informed Juhu police. She does not belong at our temple. Her claims about the money are all false.”  Speaking to MiD DAY, inspector Vijay Khaire of Juhu police station said, “We have permission from Special Branch of Mumbai police, which looks into such matters. We are communicating with the Polish embassy and would soon be deporting her. She has been blacklisted.” (Courtesy Mid-Day)