VHP a registered English charity
halcombe
to learn that a key component in the alliance that fomented the (vastly
preponderant) Hindu end of the violence is present in England as a registered
charity [1].
According to the Charity Commission site [2], the first aim of the charity is
"to promote the advancement of the Hindu religion".
(In India, it evidently seeks to achieve this goal by thinning the ranks of
those of other faiths [3]. But, thankfully, not in the UK. Yet.)
In recent years, the charity has enjoyed, it seems, an annual income of around
£200,000, apparently expended unexceptionably.
(I note that it seems to have a growing surplus of income over expenditure, in
1999-2000 of nearly £80,000. No doubt, prudently investing for the future.)
[1]
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=S
toryFT&cid=1028185803261&p=1012571727159
[2]
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?remch
ar=&chyno=262684
[3] http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,759129,00.html
******************************
Financial Times
Danger of supporting Gujarati violence
By John Thornhill
Published: August 16 2002 5:00 | Last Updated: August 16 2002 5:00
Prominent British Indians yesterday called on their community to scrutinise
their charitable donations to ensure they are not sponsoring extremist
organisations blamed for the recent communal violence in Gujarat.
Ram Gidoomal, who chaired a conference in London on human rights in India,
said the wealthy non-resident Indian (NRI) population - about 20m worldwide -
influenced Indian politics through charitable giving.
"One of our recommendations is that NRI funds should take responsibility for
monitoring and tracking their money flows so that they do not go to
mischief-makers," he said.
The Charity Commission confirmed yesterday that it had launched a preliminary
investigation into allegations that two India-related charities were linked to
terrorist activities. The commission has contacted the trustees of Vishwa
Hindu Parishad (UK) and the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh to provide further details
of their operations.
Harsh Mander, country director of ActionAid India, said the financial backers
of extremist groups should be held responsible for the actions of these
bodies.
On February 27, a Muslim mob in Godhra set fire to a train carrying Hindu
activists, killing 58 people, including women and children. Retaliatory
attacks by Hindu groups in Gujarat killed hundreds of Muslims and left about
200,000 homeless.
A Human Rights Watch investigation into the violence concluded that attacks on
Muslims were part of a concerted campaign by Hindu nationalist groups.
The groups most directly responsible for the violence against Muslims in
Gujarat included the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Bajrang Dal, the ruling
BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Corps, or RSS).
A representative of the London branch of the VHP, who attended the conference,
said his organisation had supported the appointment of a Muslim president and
believed in the "family unity" of India. "This slandering of the VHP and the
BJP is intolerable," he said.
No Hindu organisations are included on the Home Office's list of 21 proscribed
terrorist organisations.
Lord Desai, the Labour peer, rebuffed suggestions that the conference
organisers were denigrating India by meeting on India's Independence Day. "The
whole independence movement was constructed in the crucible of human rights."
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More of much of the same at The Lincoln Plawg:
http://lincolnplawg.blogspot.com
"People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they
like."
Dr. Sunil
On Fri, 16 Aug 2002, halcombe wrote:
> Those who remember the carnage in Gujarat earlier this year may be surprised
> to learn that a key component in the alliance that fomented the (vastly
> preponderant) Hindu end of the violence is present in England as a registered
> charity
The VHP - India's BNP/NF.
DU
On Fri, 16 Aug 2002 06:24:04 +0100, "halcombe" <halcomb...@subdimension.com> wrote:
>Those who remember the carnage in Gujarat earlier this year may be surprised
>to learn that a key component in the alliance that fomented the (vastly
>preponderant) Hindu end of the violence is present in England as a registered
>charity [1].
Speculation is cheap. The so-called components of the events or what is more correct
"retaliatory attacks" of the Godhra atrocity in fact came from a variety of groups.
The rage of the Godhra atrocities was felt by the widest section of the society.
Though "reprihensible", the aftermath of Godhra is only an aftermath, and without
the Godhra atrocities, the aftermath is totally unthinkable. And do not forget that
Muslims in the area have previously been responsible for Godhra like events where
more that 2000 were murdered. So when enough is enough the intolerant is no
longer tolerated.