Author:
Publication: Rediff on Net
Date: November 22, 2002
URL: http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/nov/22idrf.htm
The India Development and Relief
Fund, a Maryland- based charity, has denied allegations that it is duping
non-resident Indians and American corporations of millions of dollars to
fund the Sangh Parivar's "hate campaign" in India.
Eleven NRIs had released in New
Delhi a report accusing IDRF of being a frontal organisation for the Sangh
Parivar and its numerous outfits for funnelling millions of dollars every
year to be used by "violent, sectarian Hindu supremacist organisations".
"IDRF dismisses the allegations
made by the groups as pure concoction, untruthful and self-contradicting,"
the charity said in a statement on Friday.
The report by Biju Mathew, a New
York-based professor, "is merely a string of allegations, manipulated skillfully
by piecing together information available on the IDRF web site", it said.
"The allegations do not stand up
to any rational scrutiny. Donors to IDRF are among most well-informed of
the donors to any South Asian non-profit charitable organizations operating
in the US.
"IDRF questions the credibility,
motives and the political agenda of these splintered and virtually unknown
groups that have launched the Hate Campaign against IDRF.
"IDRF does not subscribe to any
religious, political, or sectarian agendas. Furthermore, IDRF does not
discriminate against any religion, sect, or race in either the collection
or distribution of funds," it said.
