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charities 'misled donors into funding Indian extremism' Financial
Times, February 26 2004 UK charities funding violence in India: Report Hindustan Times, London, February 26 UK charities scam linked to Sangh Parivar The Tribune, February 25, 2004 |
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Foreign Exchange of Hate: |
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Petitions Stop
Corporate Sponsorship of IDRF Stop
Funding Hate Campaign Responds to IDRF's Rebuttal |
EARTHQUAKE AID CHARITY ACCUSED OF SUPPORTING EXTREMISTSBy Rajiv Popat A human rights group has accused a Leicester based charity of using some of its funds to support extremists groups in India. Sewa International collected more than two million pounds to rebuild the worst affected areas of Gujarat following the earthquake. Rajiv Popat reports. The earthquake in Gujarat three years ago left 13,000 people dead and many more were homeless after 8000 towns and villages were completely flattened. It was an anxious time for Gujaratis here in the east Midlands. Many had friends and relatives in the state. The Leicester based organisation Sewa International raised more than 2 million pounds to help victims of the quake. But the human rights group South Asia Watch says some of the money was used to help extremists groups in India. We refute these claims and we are purely a charity doing humanitarian and social work, rather than having any political involvem SEWA Chairman Shantibhai Mistry said. "We refute these claims and we are purely a charity doing humanitarian and social work, rather than having any political involvement." Last month, Sewa International took people who had raised funds to Gujarat to see how the money is helping to rebuild parts of the state. South Asia Watch says some of the funds were used to support a campaign of hatred against Muslims and Christians in India. These are claims strongly denied by Sewa which is currently awaiting the outcome of an investigation by the Charities Commission. |