Cong says RSS collects funds abroad to use against minorities

The Congress today alleged that funds collected by the RSS outside the country in the name of charity were being misused and sought to know ...

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The Congress today alleged that funds collected by the RSS outside the country in the name of charity were being misused and sought to know if the same funds were being used against the minorities.

Quoting reports that appeared in British newspapers and an inquiry report by a human rights organisation, Congress spokesperson Kapil Sibal today sought an explanation from the government on the status of the funds collected in Britain by the RSS front organisation, Sewa International.

‘‘After the Gujarat earthquake, funds for relief work to the tune of £2 million were collected and sent to Sewa Bharati. These funds were later used for building Saraswati Shishu Mandirs and Vidya Mandirs,’’ Sibal said.

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‘‘We would like to know whether prior permission was taken for bringing in the foreign funds in this manner. How much money has come into the country in the name of the RSS? How much has been accounted for? We want answers to this from the government,’’ Sibal said.

Seeking to know whether the funds were indeed used for quake relief, he said: ‘‘There is presently an inquiry into the matter by the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights in Britain.’’

Quoting a letter written by Lord Nazir Ahmed on April 13, 2004 to Birmingham-based The Sikh Times, Sibal said: ‘‘Lord Ahmed here asks the British Government to investigate Sewa International which has links with Hindu extremists’’.

‘‘He states in the letter that Sewa International is collecting large sums of money in the UK and the US in the name of charity and spending it in India for political purposes, particularly against minority communities like Sikhs, Muslims and Christians,’’ the spokesperson said.

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‘‘People seeking to inquire into the charity were also denied visas by the Government on February 24, 2004,’’ Sibal alleged.

‘‘Is this not a conflict of interest that the country is being headed by a Prime Minister and a Deputy Prime Minister who say that they are first members of the RSS?’’ he asked.