British
Public Is Funding
Hindutva Extremism
By
Awaaz - Soth Asia Watch
27 February, 2004
A
UK report launched at the House of Lords on February 26 presents alarming
new evidence that under the cloak of humanitarian charity, massive donations
from the British public were used to fund sangh parivar organisations.
The report is launched just before the second anniversary of the horrific
2002 Gujarat carnage.
Prepared by Awaaz
- South Asia Watch Ltd, a London-based secular network, the report
"In Bad Faith? British Charity and Hindu Extremism",
says RSS branches in the UK have been raising large amounts of money
in the name of charity for natural disasters like the Gujarat earthquake
and the Orissa supercyclone. Virtually all the money raised went to
sangh parivar groups, including groups that have incited anti-minority
violence.
"We do not
think it is a coincidence that the two Indian states where Hindutva
networks, violence and hatred have grown phenomenally in recent years
both had natural and human tragedies (the Gujarat earthquake 2001, the
Orissa cyclone 1999) followed by massive amounts of funding to Hindutva
organisations from overseas under the guise of humanitarian charity",
says the report. "It is ironic that the sangh parivar have attacked
foreign
funding of minority groups when they themselves use such funding to
expand their own influence", Awaaz says.
The report, which
will be available on February 26, demonstrates that the UK-based Sewa
International sent £2 million raised for Gujarat earthquake relief
to its Indian counterpart Sewa Bharati. Sewa Bharati is a part of the
sangh parivar and proudly proclaims its association with the RSS and
its desire to expand Hindutva networks. Much of the earthquake money
was spent on building RSS schools that indoctrinate children into Hindutva
and promote anti-minority hatred. Money from the UK was also given to
other sangh parivar organisations (such as the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram)
that are involved
or implicated in serious, large scale anti-minority violence.
"Most British
donors would be horrified if they knew the nature, history and ideas
of the RSS. British individuals raised funds and donated in good faith
to Sewa International's Gujarat earthquake appeals but would not have
done so had they known that the organisation raising the money was closely
linked to the Fascist-inspired and extremist RSS," says Awaaz.
Sewa International
is not registered as a British charity, but is the fundraising arm of
the registered charity Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), the UK branch
of the RSS. The report exposes the connections of the HSS, Sewa
International and the Kalyan Ashram Trust (another UK registered charity)
to sangh parivar violence or extremism in India.
"Sewa International
has tried to dupe politicians, donors and the general public. Its main
purpose is to fund, expand and glorify hate-driven RSS organizations,
several of which have been at the forefront of large scale violence,
pogroms or hate campaigns in India. Its claim to be a non-sectarian,
non-political, non-religious humanitarian charity is a sham," said
Awaaz spokesperson Suresh Grover.
In the thoroughly
documented report, Awaaz clearly establishes the strong ties between
Sewa International and major Hindutva organisations in India. It has
called for the Charity Commissioner to withdraw the charity status of
three British charities: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) UK, the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad (VHP) UK, and the Kalyan Ashram Trust. The HSS and Sewa
International are currently under formal investigation by the UK Charity
Commission.
SUMMARY &
RECOMMENDATIONS
Violent hate politics
against Muslim and Christian minorities has grown massively in India
in recent years. This resulted in the death of 2,000 people, mostly
Muslims, and the displacement of 200,000 more in the state of Gujarat
in 2002. Victims included British citizens. The ideology behind this
hate-driven politics is called Hindutva. The organization
at the core of Hindutva activities is the extremist, paramilitary, Fascist-inspired
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The RSS is dedicated to turning India
from a secular democratic multi-religious society into an authoritarian
anti-minority Hindu nation. Gandhis murderer was an
RSS activist. The RSS and its family of closely-allied organizations
have been repeatedly indicted over several decades by international
and Indian human rights organizations, judicial commissions and official
bodies for their role in large scale violence and hatred against minority
groups, including the Gujarat pogroms in 2002. The report demonstrates
that
The extremist RSSs
front organizations have received millions of pounds raised from the
British public. These funds were collected by the Leicester-based registered
charity, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) and its fundraising arm Sewa
International.
HSS and Sewa International
are UK branches of the RSS and the main purpose of their fundraising
is to channel money to extremist RSS fronts in India, despite their
claim to be non-sectarian, non-religious, non-political and purely humanitarian
organizations.
Sewa Internationals deep connections with the extremist RSS were
not made known to donors and the British public who gave funds in good
faith for Indian humanitarian causes. These connections were also unknown
to patrons of Sewa International appeals.
The overwhelming bulk of funds HSS and Sewa International collected
from the British public in the name of charity, including for humanitarian
relief after the Gujarat earthquake in 2001 and the Orissa cyclone in
1999, were given to extremist RSS fronts in India.
RSS allies funded
from UK public donations include groups directly involved in large scale
violence and the promotion of hatred (see Box 3). Funds from the UK
intended for disaster relief were used to expand and glorify the hate-driven
RSSs networks in India.
The report recommends
that
The charitable status
of HSS and other associated charities should be withdrawn and public
sector funding and political patronage of these organizations should
end
HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH (HSS) IS THE UK BRANCH OF THE RSS
MAIN PURPOSE OF SEWA INTERNATIONAL IS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR RSS PROJECTS
EXTENT OF DEEP RSS CONNECTION NOT MADE PUBLIC
The Leicester-based
HSS, a registered charity, is a branch of the Indian RSS. It runs about
70 weekly physical and ideological training cells in the UK. The HSS
is modelled on the RSS, actively promotes RSS ideology and shares the
RSS aim of turning India into an exclusive Hindu nation.
The RSS in India considers the HSS to be its UK branch. The Vishwa Hindu
Parishad UK and the Kalyan Ashram Trust UK, both registered charities,
are also branches of the RSS family operating in the UK. The full report
details numerous, extensive, deep and active connections between the
HSS and the RSS.
Sewa International is the fundraising arm of the HSS. The main purpose
of Sewa International is to raise funds from the British public for
RSS projects in India. Sewa International and the HSS have misled donors,
the public and patrons about their long-standing, deep and committed
relationship with the Indian RSS. Neither Sewa International nor the
HSS informed donors and the public that their donations were used almost
exclusively to support RSS front organizations, and that the main purpose
of HSS and Sewa International fundraising is to channel money to these
RSS fronts.
Funds raised by
Sewa International from British donors and the public have run into
millions of pounds. The overwhelming bulk of these funds have been channelled
to RSS front organizations.
Sewa International
is not a registered charity. It uses the charity registration number
of the HSS to raise funds from the British public.
EARTHQUAKE FUNDS FROM BRITISH PUBLIC USED TO EXPAND RSS NETWORKS
& GLORIFY THE RSS VAST BULK OF PUBLIC FUNDS WERE GIVEN BY SEWA INTERNATIONAL
TO RSS FRONTS
An alarming chain
links unsuspecting British donors to the active political promotion
and glorification of the RSS. Charitable funds raised by Sewa International
from the British public have been directly used to expand RSS institutions
and networks in India, to further the aims, objectives and activities
of RSS organizations, and to glorify the RSS and its leaders. Sewa Internationals
activities around both the Gujarat earthquake (2001) and the Orissa
cyclone (1999) demonstrate a pattern in which a natural, human tragedy
is used to enable the dramatic expansion of RSS institutions through
the use of overseas funds. Gujarat earthquake 2001
In key Gujarat earthquake
fundraising appeals, Sewa International did not disclose its associations
with the HSS or the RSS and it did not state that it was fundraising
exclusively for RSS affiliates. This misled British donors and public,
most of whom would have been horrified by the RSSs history, ideology
and activities.
All £2 million
raised from the British public by Sewa International for Gujarat earthquake
reconstruction and rehabilitation from 2001 was for a major RSS affiliate,
Sewa Bharati. Sewa Bharati is dedicated to creating an exclusive Hindu
nation. Sewa Bharatis reconstruction work was directly related
to furthering the RSSs political agenda, including through the
organization of RSS cells. A key pattern found was that Sewa International
funded Sewa Bharati for rebuilding work, but it was the RSS that conducted
ceremonies for the start of rebuilding work or handed over the completed
village to residents.
One rebuilt village (Chapredi) included an important dedication plaque
glorifying the RSS, its founder and a key RSS affiliate. A Hindu temple
topped with saffron flags was built in the village. No evidence was
found of Sewa International funding the building of mosques or churches,
though many of these were destroyed in the earthquake.
The RSS supreme
leader K. S. Sudarshan undertook the foundation stone laying ceremony
for one village (Mithapasvaria). The new village was handed over to
residents by senior RSS leaders. The RSS supreme leader K. S. Sudarshan
undertook the opening ceremony for another village (Rapar) during which
he urged residents to expand the RSS network in the area. Funds were
raised for this village through a multicultural event in the UK. RSS
physical and ideological training cells were started by Sewa Bharati
during the rebuilding and rehabilitation period for another village
(Badanpur).
Sewa International claimed to fund the reconstruction of anywhere from
10 to 25 villages. It also claimed to have totally funded the reconstruction
of 10 villages. Six villages were found in which Sewa International
funds were used for reconstruction and rehabilitation. Other fundraising
A large proportion of the £260,000 raised by Sewa International
for Orissa cyclone relief (1999) went to enable the expansion of major
RSS affiliates. Funds were used for building RSS schools. The RSS and
its leaders were glorified. The HSS said Orissa cyclone funds would
be channelled through RSS volunteers and given to organizations which
get their workforce from the RSS.
The extremely close
involvement of the RSS, its supreme leader and its senior figures, as
well as the blatant promotion and glorification of the RSS in both the
Gujarat earthquake and Orissa cyclone work, is sufficient to raise questions
regarding Indian legal regulations that prohibit the RSS from receiving
overseas funds.
The main education
projects for which Sewa International raises funds from the British
public are RSS and VHP-run. These extremist education projects have
a political purpose for the RSS and the VHP, a fact not disclosed by
Sewa International to donors or the public. Funds raised by Sewa Internationals
education aid wing are significant, running into hundreds
of thousands of pounds.
Each of the supported
projects for which Sewa International raises funds from the British
public is an RSS project or is linked to the RSS. Sewa International
raises funds from the British public for one-teacher schools.
These are extremist political projects run by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad,
Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Sewa Bharati, Vidya Bharati and other RSS / VHP
affiliates.Over
a three year period, we found mentioned in HSS UK literature a small
amount of a few thousand pounds donated by Sewa International to non-Indian
causes.
SEWA INTERNATIONAL FUNDS ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED OR IMPLICATED IN
VIOLENCE SEWA INTERNATIONAL FUNDS ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN HATRED
Funds raised by
Sewa International have been given to RSS organizations in India whose
members and followers have been involved or implicated in large scale
anti-minority violence or religious hatred, despite Sewa Internationals
denials.
Sewa International
and the Kalyan Ashram Trust UK (a registered charity) raise funds for
the RSS arm, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (VKA), which has been responsible
for considerable violence and hatred against Christian and Muslim groups,
including during the Gujarat carnage in 2002.
Sewa Bharati, the
key recipient of Sewa International Gujarat earthquake funds had its
license to operate in Madhya Pradesh revoked by the state government
because of alleged violence against Christians. Allegations of violence
against Christians by Sewa Bharati in Madhya Pradesh continue.
Some Gujarat earthquake appeal funds collected by Sewa International
from the British public were for the RSS-allied Lok Kalyan Samiti in
Chanasma village, which has been implicated in the violent cleansing
of all Muslims from the village and the illegal occupation of premises
and land previously under the charge of the statutory Muslim waqf board.
Some Gujarat earthquake
appeal funds collected by Sewa International from the British public
were for the RSSs Border Jankalyan Samiti in Gujarat. The Jankalyan
Samitis Maharashtra branch was responsible for attacks on Christian
organizations.
Sewa International
also raises funds for projects, such as one-teacher schools,
that involve the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), an Indian organization
at the forefront of anti-minority violence and hatred in India. The
purpose of these schools is to oppose Christians and what the RSS calls
subversion and anti-national tendencies.
Almost a quarter
of Sewa International earthquake funds raised from the British public
were for building sectarian, highly controversial RSS schools. These
schools are mainly run by the RSSs Vidya Bharati, whose teaching
material has been condemned by Indias statutory National Council
for Educational Research and Training as blatantly promoting bigotry,
fanaticism and hatred.
There are serious
allegations that the RSS discriminated against Muslims and dalits in
earthquake relief, and that the RSS and its allies attacked and intimidated
secular NGOs undertaking relief work. Earthquake relief work by RSS
allies was accompanied by violence and hatred against Christians.
Despite their repeated claims to be non-sectarian and non-discriminatory,
Sewa International, the HSS or the VHP UK did not launch any humanitarian
appeal following the Gujarat carnage in 2002 carried out by Hindutva
supremacist groups in which 2,000 people died, mostly Muslims, and over
200,000 citizens of India were displaced.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Because of their
role in funding, promoting or glorifying RSS organizations that have
been directly responsible for or implicated in serious, large scale
sectarian violence, hatred or violation of human rights in India:
The charitable status
of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK, Vishwa Hindu Parishad UK and Kalyan Ashram
Trust UK (all branches of the extremist RSS family) be withdrawn by
the UK Charity Commission.
The Charity Commission
take appropriate action against the trustees of HSS. HSS / Sewa International
fundraising appeals for Indian causes were not transparent and did not
disclose to the public that funds were being raised for and sent to
extremist and sectarian RSS organizations.
Donors and the public refuse to give funds to the HSS, Sewa International,
the VHP UK and their allied organizations.
Politicians, public
and voluntary sector organizations, religious and community groups publicly
dissociate from the HSS, the VHP UK and their allied organizations.
NOTE ON METHODS
Site visits to Gujarat
villages in September 2003
Interviews in Gujarat from March May 2003
Interviews in the UK, US and other parts of India during 2003
Analysis of paper and electronic documents, mostly from Hindutva organizations.