Stolen Copyright Record.
Copyright records are submitted and are stored with US Copyright Office in DC. This is where authors generally register a copyright to protect their works from being used unauthorizedly. This record acts as an ownership proof. Srila Prabhupada’s books were being copyrighted here since 1968. Copyrights are governed by US Federal Laws.
Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-Gita As It Is was first registered in 1968, the paperback version. The McMillan edition was registered here in 1972. Later when BBT editors unauthorizedly modified the Gita, that was also registered here.
All the while, the owner of the copyright, one who owns the book, was BBT.
And the author was listed as His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
In 1995 it was all changed. BBTI, another legal entity only formed in 1988 with no connection to BBT, stole these copyrights through a fake transfer of copyright to it. The new copyright record of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, that you see on the next page, was registered in 1995. You can click on View page one & page two to see the full record.
Below you will find a copy of the 1st page, of the illegitimate copyright transfer of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, from the BBT to the BBTI.
Question: Please find the name of Srila Prabhupada in the copyright record!
Answer: You cannot! Author has been replaced by BBT (Section 2 a), and this work was made by “Worker for Hire” (ticked “yes” box below the Author line).
In effect what this copyright record signifies is that Bhagavad Gita As It Is was authored by the BBT, which hired Srila Prabhupada as its worker!
Would you like to do something about this insult to Srila Prabhupada? Would you like to do something about this Great Theft?
Yes, there is a movement now underway to force BBTI to give these stolen copyrights back to Srila Prabhupada’s BBT where Srila Prabhupada will be acknowledged and revered as its author.
Question: Please find the name of Srila Prabhupada in the copyright record!
Answer: You cannot! Author has been replaced by BBT (Section 2 a), and this work was made by “Worker for Hire” (ticked “yes” box below the Author line).
In effect what this copyright record signifies is that Bhagavad Gita As It Is was authored by the BBT, which hired Srila Prabhupada as its worker!
Would you like to do something about this insult to Srila Prabhupada? Would you like to do something about this Great Theft?
Yes, there is a movement now underway to force BBTI to give these stolen copyrights back to Srila Prabhupada’s BBT where Srila Prabhupada will be acknowledged and revered as its author.