Church of Scotland Assembly Calls Hindu Deities 'False Idols`

http://thesop.org/story/20120521/church-of-scotland-assembly-calls-hindu-deities-false-idols-hindus-object.html

 

Hindus have strongly objected to Hindu deities being reportedly referred to as "false idols" on the opening day of the General Assembly of Church of Scotland on May 19 in Edinburgh (United Kingdom).

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) on May 19, said  that about one billion Hindus worldwide worshipped their deities almost on a daily basis and labeling them as "false" was highly hurting their feelings.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, asked apology from Church of Scotland for this inappropriate language as these deities were highly revered in Hinduism. Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Zed stated.

Rajan Zed stressed that all religions should work together for a just and peaceful world. Dialogue would bring us mutual enrichment, Zed added.

What happened to the Church of Scotland`s friendly hand for interfaith dialogue towards various religious traditions, Zed asked. Last year Church reportedly affirmed its "Inter-Faith Agenda", when to a questionnaire sent on inter-faith issues, resounding 85% answered that they felt inter-faith was an important area for the Church to be involved into today. Church website says: "The landscape of our country is no longer solely dominated with the steeples and crosses of Christians Churches, but is peppered by the arches and domes of temples, synagogues, gurdwaras and mosques...we are having to adopt practical ways of encountering people from other faith backgrounds, whether neighbours, shop keepers, co-workers, relatives or friends."

This "false idols" reference was reportedly made while discussing allowing of use of hall of Queen`s Cross Parish (QCP) Church in Aberdeen, a Church of Scotland parish, by Hindu community. General Assembly continues till May 25.

A registered charity, Aberdeen Hindu Association (AHA), whose objectives include promotion of religious harmony", conducts three-hour pooja first and third Sunday of the month besides discourses and satsangs at QCP Church where Reverend Scott M. Rennie is the Minister and whose website says that its facilities are available for hire. Dr. Balasubramaniam Vijayan, Dr. Pradeep Kumar and Dr. Senthil Ragupathy are President, Secretary and Treasurer respectively of AHA; which was launched in 2010 and whose "ultimate goal" is "to have a place of worship (temple) for ourselves in the Northeast of Scotland."

As is apparent from pictures posted on AHA website, during fortnightly pooja, statues and pictures of Hindu deities are placed inside the hall; with fruits, flowers, leaves, incense sticks and other pooja material placed before the images of deities, giving it the appearance of a sanctuary. Many of the devotees attend the pooja in traditional Indian dresses and scriptures are also brought in. Central to the Church of Scotland, majority church in Scotland, is "worship of God through following the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ."

Hindu temples in Scotland include Edinburgh Hindu Mandir & Cultural Centre (EHMCC) in Leith, Hindu Temple of Scotland (HTOS) in Rutherglen, ISKCON Karuna Bhavan in Lesmahagow, Tayside Hindu Cultural and Community Centre in Dundee and Hindu Mandir Glasgow. EHMCC was reportedly a Presbyterian Church before it was acquired in 1986. Former Wardlawhill Church in Rutherglen, affiliated to Church of Scotland, was reportedly renovated and refurbished and converted into what is HTOS now.

Around 400 CE, St Ninian began the first large-scale Christian mission to Scotland, and now Church of Scotland, which calls itself "Reformed and Presbyterian", has over 500,000 members and around 1,200 ministers. Headquartered in Edinburgh, Right Reverend Albert Bogle is the new Moderator, while Reverend John Chalmers is the Principal Clerk. Moksh (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism.

 

 

http://thesop.org/story/20120521/church-of-scotland-assembly-calls-hindu-deities-false-idols-hindus-object.html

Hindu priest, 300 others turn away from 'death goddess,' toward Christ

 

http://www.mnnonline.org/article/17226

 

http://www.mnnonline.org/article/17226

http://www.mnnonline.org/article/17226

Largest members of the Indian economy is the NGO sector–Jesus Industry

Scrap FCRA and Save the Republic - Prof R Vaidyanathan

 

http://www.ibtl.in/column/1248/scrap-fcra-and-save-the-republic--prof-r-vaidyanathan

Normally reticent and mild mannered Manmohan Singh in an interview to Science magazine during February mentioned that American NGO’s are funding the protests against Kudankulam nuclear plant. He also blamed protests against genetically modified crops on groups which were funded from the US and Scandinavian countries.
He said that “they are not fully appreciative of the development challenges that our country faces (American NGOs funding nuclear protests: PM) ” . This is a major revelation coming from the PM and unfortunately our media which is frenzy or agenda driven has not fully comprehended the dimensions of the issues raised by our PM. Let us understand the nature of the threat posed by these NGOs or WMD’s –Weapons of Mass Destruction – to our republic and the need to stem the rot here and now.
Among the largest members of the Indian economy is the NGO sector or what is known as the Third Sector or Civil Society (other than government and private) in academic circles.
Two important criteria are that they should be independent from government and organizations not meant for making profit. But many get money from the government or from foreign governments. The type of activities they are involved is mind-boggling which can extent from “aging issues” to “corruption” to “human rights” to “waste management”. Many of them call themselves “Civil Society” and involve in socio-political activities even though they do not directly participate in the electoral process. Many are Church-related organization and others involve in human rights issues as a civil society organization. The funding for many of these civil society groups is substantially international.
Before we proceed let us look at some numbers : The international flow of funds is regulated by the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act [FCRA Act] of the Central Government which the ministry of home affairs has re-formulated now. In the period from 2001 to 2010 [ 9 years] such organizations received more than Rs 70000 crore and in the year 2009-10 [of which data is available] it was Rs 10338 crore
Salient Features for the year 2009-2010 [ year for which latest data is available]
Its salient features are as below
I. A total of 38436 Associations have been registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act up to 31.3.2010. During the year 2009-10, 2022 Associations were granted registration and 388 Associations were granted prior permission to receive foreign contribution.
II. 21508 Associations reported a total receipt of an amount of Rs.10, 337.59 crore as foreign contribution.
III. Among the States and the Union Territories, the highest receipt of foreign contribution was reported by Delhi (Rs. 1815.91 crore), followed by Tamil Nadu (Rs. 1663.31 crore) and Andhra Pradesh (Rs. 1324.87 crore).
IV. Among the districts, the highest receipt of foreign contribution was reported by Chennai (Rs. 871.60 crore), followed by Bengaluru (Rs. 702.43 crore) and Mumbai (Rs. 606.63 crore).
V. The list of donor countries is headed by the USA (Rs. 3105.73 crore) followed by Germany (Rs. 1046.30 crore) and UK (Rs. 1038.68 crore).
VI The list of foreign donors is topped by the Gospel For Asia Inc, USA (Rs. 232.71 crore) followed by the Fundacion Vicente Ferrer, Barcelona, Spain (Rs.228.60 crore) and the World Vision Global Centre, USA (Rs.197.62 crore).
VII. Among the Associations which reported receipt of foreign contribution, the highest amount of foreign contribution was received by the World Vision of India, Chennai, Tamil Nadu (Rs.208.94 crore), followed by the Rural Development Trust, Ananthapur, A.P. (Rs.151.31 crore) and Shri Sevasubramania Nadar Educational Charitable Trust, Chennai, T.N. (Rs. 94.28 crore).
VIII The highest amount of foreign contribution was received and utilized for Establishment Expenses (Rs. 1482.58 crore), followed by Rural Development (Rs. 944.30 crore), Welfare of Children (Rs. 742.42 crore), Construction and Maintenance of school/college (Rs.630.78 crore) and Grant of Stipend/scholarship/assistance in cash and kind to poor/deserving children (Rs. 454.70 crore).
(We have provided some salient statistics from the Home ministry web site in Tables 1 to 5- See Appendix)
Some important observations : Establishment expenses consist of buying land, buildings, jeeps, setting up offices, mobiles, laptops, cameras, salaries, consultancy fees, honorarium, and foreign travel etc., constituting nearly 50 % of the expenses and in some cases as high as 70%. This goes against the grain of service motto where the ultimate recipient is supposed to get the maximum. Now, such organizations even recruit “executives” from management institutions. Most of the top recipients are Church or Church related organizations. They use the funds for service as well as religious purposes.
However, they are not covered by Right to Information Act as they are not part of Government. For instance, this writer has tried unsuccessfully to get the annual accounts from the web site of the top 25 recipients, many of whom are often reported in newspapers and TV and stressing the importance of “transparency” in the functioning of the government. Many do not have any information on their web sites. Some of the web sites contain nothing on finances. These Civil society groups who day in day out harangue us on TV talk shows about transparency and disclosures for the government and corporate sector etc., should practice what they preach
There is a long list of illustrative programmes /activities to be carried out by these associations receiving foreign contributions. This is given in the Home Ministry web site.
More importantly the amended act suggests that acceptance of foreign contributions should be within the broad parameters as listed in the appendix 1
We have provided in Appendix 1 to 4 some salient aspects of the act including a paltry punishment for violating the act.
Issues
Nature of Use of Funds: Significant portion of the received funds are used for ‘Establishment Expenses” which is against the basic cannon of charity work. It is expected that Charity involves lesser fixed assets creation particularly of the flamboyant nature. Also the jet setting aspect of the NGO’s provide clues to the nature of expenditure. Whether it is New York or Geneva we find members of Indian NGO community lobbying for some cause mostly of human rights. This creates a closed loop wherein they receive money to further some agenda and for that they receive more money
Religious Conversion: Large amount of funds go to Christian organizations whose purpose is conversion. This act of “soul harvesting” or “planting of the Church” is an anachronistic practice of nineteenth century which is totally incongruous in the twenty first century where faith based political movements like the Church movements are disappearing from Europe their cradle of growth. Europe which has given up on the Church is trying to overcome its guilt by exporting Christianity to India. The recipient organizations may argue that they are serving poor but do they need European money to serve Indian poor.
Also some organizations like World Vision appear to be secular or non-denominational in India. But the fact of the matter is that is Christian in origin and membership. This has been affirmed by the Supreme Court of USA. We can take them as a representative example wherein they do not mention much about their exclusive Christian identity when campaigning for funds within India.
To quote from their website (World Vision’s Christian identity and hiring practices)
History of our Christian identity: World Vision was founded 60 years ago as a Christian humanitarian organization. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, World Vision’s work with the poor and oppressed is a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people.
As a Christian organization, World Vision has virtually the same Statement of Faith included in its September 1950 articles of incorporation. While about 20 percent of our worldwide staff are of other faiths, all prospective staff at World Vision U.S. are required to sign that Statement of Faith or, as an alternative, the Apostles’ Creed.
Far from being narrow in scope, the Apostles’ Creed and World Vision’s Statement of Faith reflect the basic theological beliefs shared for millennia by the vast majority of orthodox Christian traditions — Roman Catholic, Mainline Protestant, Pentecostal, evangelical, or Orthodox.
Issues of the current court case: The issues at the center of the Spencer case — the plaintiffs’ denial of the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus Christ — are central to Christianity. By definition, a Christian believes that Jesus Christ is the only son of God. World Vision believes one can be a good person, a moral person — even a religious person — without believing this. But World Vision believes that one cannot be a Christian unless one can confess, as the Apostle Peter did in Matthew 16:16 (NIV), “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
To be clear, we hire Christians, imperfect and flawed, not because we think they are superior, but because we believe that any real success will come only through the presence of Christ in each employee’s heart and His power through prayer in each staff member’s mind and hands.
The plaintiffs in this case signed the Statement of Faith when they were hired, but later changed their core beliefs. It was only when these staff members stopped attending World Vision’s weekly chapel services and instead began alternative worship and study sessions at work that the change in their beliefs became obvious. We regret the departure of our former colleagues, and we pray they have been able to find areas of humanitarian service that are compatible with their new beliefs.
Hiring people of shared beliefs: World Vision believes that staff commitment to core Christian beliefs as we understand them from the Bible is essential for maintaining our Christian identity. Organizationally, our humanitarian work is done as a reflection of — and an extension of — our Christian faith. We represent Christ in our work.
Hiring people of shared belief is a common practice among charitable institutions, many of whom receive federal funding. A non-profit that advocates for animal rights, for example, would be unlikely to hire a hunter or a non-vegetarian. An environmental organization is unlikely to hire a global warming skeptic. Non-profit organizations are defined by their core mission and motivation. To hire those uncommitted to that mission would be to undermine the organization
Who we are and how we serve: World Vision has worked hard to be clear with our donors in our communication and transparent about our Christian identity. We do not want to take donations under false pretences.
Similarly, World Vision always identifies itself as a Christian organization in the communities where we serve, including many where there are few, if any, Christians. World Vision works in many countries where the majority of people follow another religion, including some areas where Christian teaching is not welcome. In all cases, we respect the local culture and abide by local laws.
World Vision is a signatory to the Red Cross Code of Conduct and does not proselytize. That is, we never require aid recipients to listen to a religious message as a condition of our help, nor do we use aid as an inducement for recipients to change religion. We also never discriminate on the basis of religion in giving aid; we serve every child in need that we possibly can, of any faith or
Our staff worldwide: More than 80 percent of World Vision’s 40,000 staff members worldwide are Christian.
We work in some countries where there are few Christians with the needed professional qualifications, and in some where it is illegal to hire only Christians. However, in each of the nearly 100 countries where World Vision works, our leadership is Christian.
Federal law : In the United States, nearly 50 years of federal law has guaranteed that faith-based organizations can consider religion in hiring staff. The 1964 Civil Rights Act explicitly allows religious preference in employment by any “religious association, corporation, educational institution or society.”
Similarly, Congress has never said that faith-based organizations lose their hiring rights if they receive federal grants. Neither have the courts. In 1987, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that religious hiring rights do not violate the Constitution’s ban on government preference for religion.
The above mentioned quote highlights the dubious role played by mainly religious organizations presenting themselves as social or secular organizations in our context but receiving massive funds for global Christian activities
Not only that, we also finds that the Government of India involves mainly Christian organizations for carrying out their social agenda about Aids or reducing TB. Lets take another instance.The Organizations that currently comprise the National TB Consortium India are the Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA), Damien Foundation India Trust (DFIT), German Leprosy and TB Relief Association (GLRA), LEPRA Society, PATH India, Project Concern International (PCI) India, TB Alert India and World Vision India
We do not find Rama Krishna Mission or that of Amritanandamayi in these government funded endeavors
The power of the Converting Lobby: The planting of the cross [conversion] among the poorer and weaker segments creates social tensions. If a girl gets converted then her parents and siblings are impacted giving raise to family and social tensions. But if even SC points this out there is a furore and the court is asked to erase it from its records.
How much the power of the church and its lobbies has spread far and wide is illustrated by the Supreme Court altering the wordings in its judgment in the famous Dara Singh Case
In the supreme Court of India-Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction.Criminal appeal nb. 1366 of 2005 Rabindra Kumar Pal @ Dara Singh …. Appellant(s) Versus Republic of India…. Respondent(s) with Criminal appeal no: 1259 of 2007 And Criminal appeal nos: 1357-1365
Its original verdict, the apex court observed, “the intention was to teach a lesson to Graham Staines about his religious activities, namely, converting poor tribals to Christianity. All these aspects have been correctly appreciated by the High Court, which modified the sentence of death into life imprisonment with which we concur”. This was later modified as, “more than 12 years have elapsed since the act was committed, we are of the opinion that the life sentence awarded by the High Court need not be enhanced in view of the factual position discussed in the earlier paras.”
Secondly, the sentence, “It is undisputed that there is no justification for interfering in someone’s belief by way of use of force, provocation, conversion, incitement or upon a flawed premise that one religion is better than the other” (the meaning of the constitutional principle of equality of faiths and non-discrimination in matters of religion) was replaced by “There is no justification for interfering in someone’s religious belief by any means”.
The facts are as follows: while upholding the life sentence on Dara Singh, main accused in the Staines murder case, Justices P. Sathasivam and B.S. Chouhan observed that the murder had taken place in an atmosphere that had been poisoned by the conversion activism of foreign missionaries in that part of Orissa. They said in their judgment pronounced in open court:
“It is undisputed that there is no justification for interfering in someone’s belief by way of use of force, provocation, conversion, incitement or upon a flawed premise that one religion is better than the other.”
However, our two Supreme Court judges, proved even more nimble-footed than what John Dayal and company had expected. The original judgement was pronounced on 21 Jan. (a Friday), and the cacophony orchestrated by the Christian lobby started straightaway, reaching a crescendo during the weekend and on the following Monday.
On 25 Jan. (Tuesday), Sathasivam and Chouhan re-opened the matter in open court and announced the deletions / changes. There are some reports that the counsels for the two parties (the State and Dara Singh) were given notice to attend, but this is not verifiable as yet. What is certain is that there was no application for a Review Petition or any other form of legal representation before the two judges, asking them to reconsider their observations already on record. It was a suo motu act by the two judges. Clearly, Dayal and his cohorts would have been delighted and overjoyed with the supersonic speed of the two judges and their commendable powers of foresight and anticipation.
What can possibly account for this change of mind and heart? Divine intervention, a hyperactive conscience? Impossible to pinpoint, for mere mortals. What happened was the observations quoted above (“It is undisputed that there is no justification for interfering in…) were deleted / expunged and replaced by the platitudinous and ambivalent sentence, “There is no justification for interfering in someone’s religious belief by any means.” This piece of pontification has no judicial import at all, either in the case under discussion or in general. All that can be said is that the somersault of this Bench in this case will be debated for quite some time (The Republic’s Apex Court commits one more faux pas).
The above mentioned example shows that the power of Church for converting religion has been made in to a major fundamental right and it is supported by Global funds. We would like to point out that the right to convert does not include the right to convert using foreign money.
We also find that from the point of funding as well as conversion activities the so called “New Age or Evangelical” or “born again Christians” are much more active compared to the traditional Catholic or Protestant churches of India. Of course this needs another article.
Political activities: As is seen from the appendix FCRA recipients are not expected to use it for political purposes or affecting the security, strategic, scientific or economic interest of the State. But in the case of protest by opponents of Kudankulam nuclear reactor it was observed that the recipients have used it for opposing the plant. Not only that, they have also misused Church premises and priests have actively participated in the protest. Actually they used to ring the Church bells to mobilize the protesters at short notice.
Economic Times reports that
Narayanswamy, a minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, said the home ministry had probed the background and funding of the NGOs and that the government had received reports that these organizations were being funded by outfits in both the US and Scandinavian nations. “We have received certain reports about the NGOs in Tirunelveli and Thuthukudi around the Kudankulam project, who are being funded by organizations from the US and Scandinavian countries,” Narayanasamy said.
Twelve NGOs in Tamil Nadu had received funds and it was probed whether these were used for the purpose for which they were meant, he said. The ministry found that some of them violated the norms and the home ministry cancelled the license of three NGOs. “The ministry is initiating action against one of the NGOs, which did not follow the guidelines. Now the process is going on,” Narayanswamy said.
The minister said he was told that the people, who are agitating against the Russian-aided project, were brought from various areas on vehicles and trucks and given “good treatment” by the organizers.
“The protesters have sat on a hunger strike near Kudankulam project site and have not allowed workers to get inside. They have incited violence there and, therefore, we found how the money was coming to them,” he said.
We feel that much of the political activities of the church may also be linked to the so called Liberation theology of the Catholic Church practiced by some of the Latin American countries in the eighties. This theology wants the Church to be in the forefront of struggles of the common people in terms of poverty or other social issues.

Further Hindustan Times reports that
Sources said foreign contribution to 12 NGOs in two districts — Tirunelveli, where the plant is based, and neighbouring Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu — has increased sharply over the last four years, ever since agitations against the plant started. “These NGOs received over Rs. 31 crore in 2010-11, with the foreign contribution to some doubling during the agitation period,” a senior government functionary said, adding that the money given is mostly for social causes such as education, health and sanitation.
The Tamil Nadu government was asked by the Centre to register cases against two of the 112 NGOs for diverting foreign funds under the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulatory Act.
The role of 10 other NGOs in the Kudankulam agitation is also being probed
The home ministry’s website shows that there has been an overall increase in foreign funding to NGOs in Tamil Nadu, mostly Christian organisations. While the Tuticorin Diocesan Association witnessed a 50% jump in foreign funding, the People’s Education for Action and Community Empowerment (an NGO headed by chief agitator Uday Kumar) received foreign aid of Rs. 2.64 crore.
NGOs in Tamil Nadu received over Rs. 2,500 crore in foreign funds between 06-07 and 10-11.
More than that UN special Rapporteur expressing concern about treatment of these NGO’s in India is really disturbing.
In what is perhaps the first international reaction to the Indian government’s heightened scrutiny of NGOs receiving foreign funds, the United Nations Special Rapporteur Margaret Sekaggya has in a report presented at the ongoing session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva expressed concern about the new regime introduced by Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010.The more stringent FCRA, 2010, which replaced the FCRA of 1976, came into force on 1 May 2011.
In her report (presented on 5 March) on the situation of human rights defenders in India, Sekaggya has observed that some of the provisions of the new Act “may lead to abuse by the authorities when reviewing applications of organizations which were critical of authorities”.
Incidentally, among those who spoke at the session after the Special Rapporteur presented her report, was Henri Tiphagne, executive director of People’s Watch, a Madurai-based human rights organisation, which was sent a notice by the FCRA wing of the Home Ministry in early February. In his oral statement at the UN, Tiphagne raised the issue of government action on NGOs in Tamil Nadu.
“In recent weeks, NGOs in Tamil Nadu have been targeted on allegations of opposing the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, presenting an example of abuse of this law with any due process adhered to.”
Tiphagne, just back from Geneva and on a short visit to Delhi, spoke to Firstpost about the significance of the UN Special Rapporteur’s statement.
In another report of PTI from Madurai it is mentioned that Amnesty international is complaining to Government of India about treatment of agitators to the nuclear plant.
Madurai, Apr 28 (PTI)
The Amnesty International has appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take steps for immediate release of all protesters arrested in connection with the anti-Koodankulam Nuclear plant agitation and drop “false” charges against them. In a letter to the Prime Minister, a copy of which has been sent to the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy which has been spearheading the stir, they also appealed to Singh to put an immediate end to the “harassment of those resorting to peaceful protests and respect protestors’ rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly in accordance with international law.” Amnesty International members also referred to S.P.Udhayakumar, PMANE convenor’s charge that the Indian authorities had “failed” to respond satisfactorily to several site and safety concerns raised by an independent group of experts. They expressed “dismay” that officials belonging to the Home Ministry searched Udhayakumar’s home and that police.
The above mentioned examples suggest about the reach of these NGO’s at highest global decision making bodies and the pressure they can exert on Government of India regarding any action contemplated against their activities
Illegal activities and NGO’s : Also hawala transactions/drug trafficking /etc anti-national activities are also undertaken by some of these NON-Government Organizations – as elaborated by the Report of The United States Department of State; Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
Additionally, the lack of severe penalties imposed by regulators against banks and financial institutions, coupled with the low statistics, may indicate a lack of appropriate due diligence procedures and/or weaknesses in the transaction monitoring systems. The Government of India (GOI) should ensure reporting entities fully implement appropriate due diligence procedures, to include both computerized tracking systems and active engagement by trained frontline personnel
The GOI should press for presidential approval to implement the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act 1976, which would extend foreign contribution reporting requirements to any non-profit organization that has a political, cultural, economic, educational or social focus and automate notification of suspicious transactions to the FIU.
International Narcotics Control Strategy Report Volume II Money Laundering and Financial Crimes March 2011 [Pages 107/109]
This report actually cautions Government of India about the activities of NGO’s which receive funds from abroad since the end use monitoring mechanism is very weak in our context
Conclusions: First and foremost issue is pertaining to the fundamental question whether we are still white man’s burden. If the answer is negative then the Act need to be scrapped. We feel the whole idea of FCRA Act for foreign contribution is redundant since we are not any more white man’s burden and hence no need for foreign contribution to “ improve the lot” of Indians.
Some Hindu organizations may be impacted—but we are not distinguishing between any religious denominations. All of them can conduct their activities with local donations.
As Prime Minister correctly pointed out that many of these foreign sponsors do not understand about our developmental challenges and so it is very much possible that they could be misguided or even agenda driven to serve some global vested interests.
Actually India is providing substantial Aid to countries in Africa and other Asia.
So it is time to scrap the Act and stop all foreign funding for any charity including “ religious “ activities since propagation and conversion activities cause substantial social tension etc as observed by the Supreme Court in the Dara singh case.
Also as clearly pointed out in the path breaking book “Breaking up India” by Rajeev Malhotra and Arvind Neelakandan– the activities of these Church organizations is purely “political” and meant to facilitate internal turmoil. This book covers a vast gamut about the dangers to the republic from these organizations
[Breaking India by Rajiv Malhotra and Aravindan Neelakandan Amaryills New Delhi-2011]
An earlier book—NGO Activists and Foreign Funds edited by Radha Rajan and Krishen Kak emphasizes this point and provide details regarding many NGO organizations. [NGOs Activists and Foreign Funds: Edited by Radha Rajan and Krishen Kak Vigil Public opinion forum Chennai 2nd edition 2007]
Recently Russia has approved a bill that introduces stringent control over the activities of foreign funded non-government and non-commercial organizations in a move designed to pre-empt any “coloured revolution” in the country. It says, and to quote “The Kremlin has learnt its lessons from a string of “coloured revolutions” in the former Soviet Republics— the “rose revolution in Georgia, the “orange revolution” in Ukraine and the “tulip revolution” in Kyrgyzstan— all inspired and orchestered by western-funded Civil Society groups”.
Incidentally, there is an act in the USA called Foreign Agents Registration Act [FARA] and it provides for penalties up to ten years in jail for acting as a foreign agent or getting foreign funds without notification to the Attorney General. FARA was originally passed in 1938 to prevent the spread of Nazi ideas and propaganda.
It is important that the Government of India bans foreign funding of civil society groups and
NGOs who want to reform India or use it for conversion. We are no more the “white man’s burden”. Scrap the FCRA and save the republic should be the call of our times by policy makers and other concerned patriots
The author wishes to acknowledge Ms. Sangeetha Raman of Chennai for research assistance.





Appendix - 01
The acceptance of foreign contribution by the association/ person is not likely to affect prejudicially –
(i) the sovereignty and integrity of India; or
(ii) the security, strategic, scientific or economic interest of the State; or
(iii) the public interest; or
(iv) freedom or fairness of election to any Legislature; or
(v) friendly relation with any foreign State; or
(vi) harmony between religious, racial, social, linguistic, regional groups, castes or communities. And the acceptance of foreign contribution- (i) shall not lead to incitement of an offence; (ii) shall not endanger the life or physical safety of any person.
Appendix - 02
Que. Who cannot receive foreign contribution?
Ans. As defined in Section 3(1) of FCRA, 2010, foreign contribution cannot be accepted by any :
(a) a candidate for election;
(b) correspondent, columnist, cartoonist, editor, owner, printer or publisher of a registered newspaper;
(c) Judge, government servant or employee of any Corporation or any other body controlled on owned by the Government;
(d) member of any legislature;
(e) political party or office bearer thereof;
(f) organization of a political nature as may be specified under subsection (1) of Section 5 by the Central Government.
(g) association or company engaged in the production or broadcast of audio news or audio visual news or current affairs programmes through any electronic mode, or any other electronic form as defined in clause (r) of sub-section (i) of Section 2 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 or any other mode of mass communication;
(h) correspondent or columnist, cartoonist, editor, owner of the association or company referred to in clause (g).
Explanation – In clause (c) and section 6, the expression "corporation" means a corporation owned or controlled by the Government and includes a Government company as defined in section 617 of the
Companies Act, 1956. (i) individuals or associations who have been prohibited from receiving
foreign contribution.
Appendix - 03
Que. Are there any banned organizations from whom foreign contribution should not be accepted?
Ans. Yes. FCRA is meant to ensure that foreign contribution is received from legitimate sources and utilised for legitimate purposes by any person. A list of banned organizations is available in MHA’s website www.mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=292 . In particular, the list of foreign
entities/individuals can be seen in www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/AQList.htm
Appendix - 04
Section 35: Punishment for contravention of any provision of the Act: Whoever accepts, or assists any person, political party or organisation in accepting, any foreign contribution or any currency or security from a foreign source, in contravention of any provision of this Act or any rule or order made thereunder, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, or with
fine, or with both.

http://www.ibtl.in/column/1248/scrap-fcra-and-save-the-republic--prof-r-vaidyanathan

blogger and-friend vidyut kale gets a take down notice for exposing corruption

 

blogger-and-friend-vidyut-kale-gets-a-take-down-notice-for-exposing-corruption

http://anandphilip.com/blogger-and-friend-vidyut-kale-gets-a-take-down-notice-for-exposing-corruption/

A blogger and dear friend Vidyut Kale had written a post about the raid on the Belvedere yacht party, where she also exposed a history of financial misdoings by Lt Col (retd) Gautam Dutta. She has received a take down notice for her article being defamatory. The IT Rules are so arbitrary that she has no chance to defend herself against the takedown, because no explanation or even verification of the premise of the take down notice being correct is required. Anyone getting the takedown notice is legally required to take their content down within 36 hours or they lose protections as intermediaries.

While she is also the author, her position as the owner of the blog makes her vulnerable to these threats if her blog is to survive. She has no experience of fighting court cases, and can’t afford a lawyer, while the persons sending her the notice have a large law firm at their command. It is not defamation if her content is provable through RTI documents, but to prove it, she will have to violate the IT Rules, lose protection and fight several years in court – to save a post that exposes corruption in sailing on technicalities lawyers can exploit for people with the money to throw, while bloggers can be victimized out of any serious truth seeking by the simple virtue of not having enough money.

She is the same blogger that blogged to draw attention to the Keenan and Reuben murders when mainstream media had reported the story and let it go. Her efforts led to large-scale media attention that helped the poor families get attention to their case and prevent the killers from going scot-free. This can be verified by searching for Keenan and Reuben, and her blog – aamjanata.com is one of the top results. Two posts she did compiling news coverage was extensively refered to by others covering the case. She raised questions that were important to not be ignored.

She has also reported on and followed the case of Naina Singh’s dowry death, where the police were refusing to file an FIR. She created a group of people to support Naina’s mother as well as found local lawyers (Delhi) who would help her approach courts to get directions for filing an FIR. The FIR was filed five months after Naina Singh’s death.

She has blogged extensively on issues of national interest, freedom of speech and human rights.

In reporting stories from the RTI documents related to sailing scams she was again covering an area that is not big enough for mainstream media, but an important leak of money as well as integrity for the country. Not to mention the illegal practices around sailing making it a security risk through norms of “looking the other way”.

VIdyut, who is a housewife and has little income is at serious risk of being attacked by a team of seasoned lawyers with money to burn. for daring expose corrupt practices. This is a very concerning sign for freedom of speech and whistle blowing in our country. Any media attention highlighting her situation and precarious situation of smaller content producers in India like bloggers, independent artists, cartoonists, etc and the role played by the IT Rules will go a long way in protecting their rights and drawing attention to their victimization.

MP P Rajeeve is moving a motion in the Rajya Sabha for the IT Rules to be annulled for being unconstitutional, but without appropriate attention, it may not happen or may be too late for many like her.

I have known Vidyut now for some two years, initially drawn to the fire in her writings and tweets, and then getting to know her as a dear and dependable friend. It saddens me that the IT bill is striking so close to home, and I hope sincerely for Vidyut’s sake and for the sake of the freedom of expression in general that the IT bill gets annulled and this case gets the treatment it deserves.

Imagine if you had to tear down your house just because your neighbour alleged that it was irritating him. Yes, it is that bad, no court needs to convict Vidyut for her to take down the content, and if the lawyer is not satisfied by that, her blog. All it takes is to register a case.

Spread this message –  email it to your friends, post it on Facebook,  the IT bill needs to go, and if it doesnt, our freedom will.

Anand Philip

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http://anandphilip.com/blogger-and-friend-vidyut-kale-gets-a-take-down-notice-for-exposing-corruption/

The Ultimate Christian Guide to Twitter

http://notashamedofthegospel.com/social-media/the-ultimate-christian-guide-to-twitter/

If you are like the rest of us, then you’d love to have more followers on Twitter for any of the following reasons:  You want people to click on the links that you share in your tweets.  You want your tweets re-tweeted by as many people as possible.  You want to drive boatloads of traffic to your site.

But there’s only one problem.  You don’t know how to do this.  You’ve tried different strategies that were supposed to get you somewhere but they all fell short.

Meanwhile, you come across some Twitter accounts that have thousands and thousands of followers and you can’t figure out why they attract so many people.

You’re not a celebrity.  You don’t have thousands and thousands of followers.  You share a tweet and your thankful if just 50 people click on your link.  Ugghhh, how frustrating!

But today I have good news because I’m here to tell you, NO MORE!  No more un-answered questions about how to make all of your Twitter dreams come true.  No more frustration.  No more hopelessness. No more dreams going unfulfilled.

Why?

Because in the next series of posts, I’m going to share with you how I got thousands of people to follow me on Twitter.  I did it without paying a penny to a service that promised to get me followers, and I did it before my website went live on the Internet.

Most bloggers release a website and only see just a trickle of traffic.  They blog for a few months, things don’t get much better, they give it a second shot, and then they give up.

I just released this blog less than a month ago and by the grace of God, hundreds of people are visiting this site, 10′s of people are re-tweeting my posts.  Ultimately, I give God the glory for the work that He is doing here at NAOTG!

http://notashamedofthegospel.com/social-media/the-ultimate-christian-guide-to-twitter/

Nut Case of Christianity on war path vs. History centrism

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aCfbYkXtHuA#!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6mZPIbz-n_c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FEKAuJewbXg#!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rfqNPJVWzpw
The above 4-part very intense video is by a Christian fundamentalist giving a detailed attack against Islam. It is very informative as a way to know how one history centrism attacks another.
The point is that similar statements can also be made about her own Christianity. Examples:

1. Islamic origins came out of military ambition - similar case for Emperor Constantine as originator of institutional Christianity
2. Islamic appropriating from mishmash of prior faiths - similar facts for Christianity
3. female genital mutilation in Islam - there is male genital mutilation (circumcision) in Judea-Christianity
4. perversions documented in Islamic society - same can be done for Christian societies.
5. etc.

Islam/Christian theological war is unsolvable because of history centrism. The above videos are explicit, but this kind of sentiment is not uncommon among American Christians - just look at how many hits the videos have.

I am not taking sides in the Islam/Christian wars - both are boxed in due to history centrism. This diagnosis must come out more openly as the fundamental cause of conflicts.

 

Took it from Yahoo Groups..Not mine..but it is Good

 

http://www.breakingindia.com/princeton-university-discussion/

 

 

Christian Catholic Butchers in India (Hindu Killers ) : Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity

 

https://www.facebook.com/notes/hemley-gonzalez/17-year-old-girl-left-to-die-in-premdan-a-medical-facility-operated-by-mother-te/218013688217071

Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity

17 year old girl left to die in Premdan, a medical facility operated by Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity

by Hemley Gonzalez on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 7:28am ·

The following interview took place in Calcutta, India on April 6th 2011, with Megan Von Tersch, a student from Portland State University volunteering with the Missionaries of Charity through a special program called “service learning” which is a combination of schooling and volunteering for several months. Meghan chose to work at Premdan, one of several medical facilities operated by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. Please take a moment to visit the album filled with pictures about this house: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.202937446414672.45825.181945775180506

Hemley Gonzalez: Thank you for meeting me and agreeing to speak publicly about your experience with The Missionaries of Charity. Let’s talk about your time in this particular house which bills itself NOT as medical facility but rather as what exactly?

Meghan Von Tersch: They call it a care facility for elderly people even though there are several elder as well as young patients with all kinds of medical issues currently residing in it.

HG: When you signed up to work at this house, what was explained to you about it during your orientation?

MVT: Not much really! I was basically told we would go and help wash clothes and spend some time with the regular patients as well as those from the “Home of the Dying” also known as “Kalighat” as that location that is now closed and they were all moved to Premdan.

HG: With my own experience volunteering with the Missionaries of Charity, usually they want you to make a commitment upfront about what timeframe you’re willing to spend with them; what was yours?

MVT: In the paper we’re given we are assigned a house and asked for how long we’re planning to work there. When I specified that I was in Calcutta for four months, the nun present during the admission muttered an “oh”, and she actually seemed a tad apprehensive, which I thought was a bit strange since volunteering is a free service and anyone willing to do as much for any organization should be greatly welcome.  

HG: Do you think she had a problem with volunteers staying so long?

MVT: I just felt she was apprehensive, she said “it’s a very long time” and not in a welcoming way.

HG: Tell us about your first day at Premdan:

MVT: I honestly felt like throwing up. Once I got inside the building the first thing I saw were rows and rows of women who are getting no stimulation, no physical activity, the Masis (paid workers as they are called here India) were actually quite mean, in one case there was a patient who was dragging herself practically naked beneath her skimpy gown on the floor to get to a bathroom and when I tried helping her, one of the masis came rushing and said “no, no, she can do it!” to which I replied, sure she can do it, eventually she’ll get there once she crawls through urine and feces at which point she’ll get a bacterial infection! The worker looked at me blankly and continued on: “don’t baby her” – It’s not babying her, is preventing her from actually contracting a vaginal infection!

HG: How many hours did you work each day?

MVT: Four hours each day, five days a week.

HG: What were your instructed tasks during your time there?

MVT: I was told to do laundry.

HG: Don’t they have washing machines?

MVT: They do not.

HG: Do you know why not?

MVT: When I asked, one of the nuns told me that if we wash the clothes with our hands wash them with love. Which is actually unacceptable, because several of the patients have communicative diseases such as tuberculosis and scabies; and these clothes were not all being properly sanitized. This is actually the process they use:

In the morning a worker uses a broom and scoops us garments filled with the urine and feces and they then go into a boiler and then they comes to my first wash bin but in the first wash bin you can still see the reminisces of feces and by the end you can still smell that is not clean and for Roxana, a 17 year old patient I looked after that’s not acceptable or for any other patient for that matter.

HG: Let’s talk about Roxana, you seem to have taken a special interest in her.

MVT: Roxana is a beautiful 17 year old girl, and when I first got here three and half months ago one of her legs was a bit swollen, she had wet lungs, maybe pneumonia, so I would just spend a lot of time with her specially since the patients don’t get many visitors and she would get really depressed. She even had stopped eating and the workers really care nor did the other patients as it meant more food for them; so I just tried to give her as much of my time and attention as possible.

HG: Are visitors allowed?

MVT: Apparently they are but very few of the patients get them. There is one woman, Margaret who had a severe burn when the back of her sari caught on fire and once she recovered, somehow she ended up in Premdan; her son comes often to see her. There’s another woman who occasionally gets a visitor, she has a huge tumor in her belly, she actually looks like she’s pregnant but she doesn’t have the money to get the surgery and is living in Premdan while she waits to be operated on.

HG: She’s waiting in Premdan until she has money for a surgery? Why don’t the Missionaries of Charity actually go ahead and cover the cost of the procedure?

MVT: I have no idea! I was just told she’s just here waiting for the surgery and no more details were given. There was another woman who came in once with a broken femur, one of the most painful things I have ever witnessed, the bone actually had broken through the skin and she remained in this place for two weeks until she was finally taken to a hospital to have her condition dealt with; which incidentally only happened after two foreigners came in and had a conversation with the nuns and immediately thereafter she was taken away to a hospital. So I feel like they probably paid for the surgery.

HG: Do you think that perhaps as foreigners they have more influence about how these nuns behave with the patients when they are present to witness it?

MVT: Actually I don’t think the foreigners have any influence whatsoever, Roxana being a case in point. I began pressuring the nuns and the doctors to take her to a clinic or hospital to deal with her leg as it kept getting more and more swollen each day and I was ignored. She has tuberculosis, I believe he liver is failing, she has an infection in her bladder because I noticed blood and a foamy clot in her urine and after consulting with another doctor who was also volunteering there; we also believe she has a clot in her left leg, which has became painfully sensitive; even the smallest touch makes her shiver with pain.

HG: How long has she been a Premdan?

MVT: She arrived shortly before I started volunteering and is now been over three months, and every day her condition gets worse.

HG: Have they brought in a doctor to see her?

MVT: No.

HG: Have they taken her outside the facility to visit a doctor, clinic or hospital?

MVT: No, every time I’ve asked the nuns, and not just me, two other volunteers who are nurses, another volunteer who is a doctor has spoken up about it we’ve all have gotten the same answer from this nun” “No she’s OK, she’s going to be fine”

HG: What is the name of this nun?

MVT: I’m not really sure; she’s light skin and heavy set. And now when she sees me come in she avoids me because she knows I’m going to ask to get Roxana to a hospital and try and hold them accountable for their negligence.

HG: How many nuns work in this house?

MVT: There is a about at least five who work there and perhaps a couple of dozen of the nuns in training.

HG: These nuns in training are the ones in the all-white saris right? They’re actually the ones I personally caught washing syringes with tap water while I volunteered in Kalighat and saw them reuse them on patients moments after and apparently that also has not changed according more recent testimonies from other volunteers.

MVT: Here in Premdan they actually wash the gloves!

HG: You mean disposable medical gloves?

MVT: Yes, when we get there first thing in the morning there are already rows of them hanging to dry in the roof, and they are reused all the time! It’s disgusting and so unprofessional!

HG: How long do you think is going to take before Roxana dies?

MVT: Given the condition of her “care” weeks if she’s lucky and the time will be painful and miserable. It took them two and a half months to tell me as a volunteer that she has tuberculosis!

HG: Isn’t that putting you at risk and every else present for that matter?

MVT: Every single person there is at risk! Now that everyone knows about her TB, volunteers are even more apprehensive about spending time with her, which breaks my heart because when I leave I know no one will probably spend as much time as I do with her. Who’s going to feed her? Who’s going to take the toilet to her? Who is going to wipe her down her head when she’s having a fever? No one because they don’t want to contract TB!

HG: Have you spoken to the nuns about changing some of their practices?

MVT: Yes. Every day for Roxana; every single day. I plead with them, I tell them she needs to go to a hospital, the reply has often been, “let things be, it’s god’s will”. Another young girl also inside the facility actually tried to commit suicide by jumping from one of the windows on the second floor; a volunteer caught her in the act and was eventually able to bring her down to the first floor at which point the nuns suggested to tie her up but followed by saying: “You can’t stop her, if that’s what she wants to do is god’s will” – Needles to say I was outraged! This is not “god’s” will; this is a young girl who is mentally unstable! She doesn’t need to be tied to her bed, she needs to be properly and medically taken care of! In one week alone she’s attempted to jump twice, and this one nun keeps saying “if that’s what she wants to do then it’s god’s will”

HG: The Missionaries of Charity also have another facility for women with mental issues, is called Shanti Dan, I’ve actually interviewed another volunteer who worked there for months and witnessed the unthinkable, electroshock being applied as punishment for some of the patients! Being as it may, why aren’t some of these mental cases taken there?

MVT: No idea.

HG: Have you witness donations being handed over to the nuns?

MVT: Actually not as many, and it seems there’s a group of long term volunteers who have realized that such donations aren’t going to be used properly on these patients if at all, so what I have noticed is volunteers doing things directly for some of the patients, for example, there is this one woman who had a major lice and flea infection so her head was shaved and a volunteer bought her a scarf to give her a shred of decency; so I see more of that going on than monetary donations or bags of items being handed over as it’s more customary in other houses from what other volunteers tell me.

HG: So basically these nuns just keep a bed for these folks and feed them?

MVT: As I mentioned earlier, I assumed that all the patients come in already with these severe conditions but the more and more I talked to the long term patients and began to see some pictures of the other patients taken by volunteers, I realized many have actually entered Premdan much more healthy than the state they’re currently in; and because they’re basically sitting in their bed for hours on end they start to lose muscle function in their legs so now they can’t walk on their own and develop other issues.

Some of the women have resorted to grunting instead of talking because that’s how the masis (workers) treat them, they yell at them and beat them if they become too much work or a nuisance for them, so they’ve resorted to limited speech and their behavior laden with fear.

HG: These masis (workers) come from where?

MVT: The come from the slums. They women are employed to do the laundry, cook, clean the facilities and just practically keep the place running. There’s about 10-15 masis in Premdan and only four of them live there full time, the rest of them arrive around 4:00AM and leave around 9-10:00AM

HG: So they are not necessarily qualified to perform some of the things that they’re doing, let alone deal with medical issues of the patients currently inside Premdan?

MVT: Oh no. In fact, whenever I ask them anything about Roxana, they immediately rush and get a nun. In addition they are pretty aggressive with the patients, and I know that often in Indian culture physically handling others up to some extend is somewhat accepted but these workers smack the patients in the head or push them around and scream at them for the smallest things; we’re talking about sick women who are also often also mentally challenged!

HG: These masis of course wouldn’t speak up because their livelihood is at stake or come forward about the abuse they witness from some of the nuns, let alone admit their own share of doing. Any idea how much money these workers make?

MVT: No, but one of my professors in the program who also actually volunteered in Premdan said they make a good money.

HG: Well, this would be the first time I hear this, as I’ve interviewed other volunteers and they seem to think the amount they’re paid is actually quite substandard; although it would make sense if you would want someone to keep quiet.

MVT: Yes, that would be a reason for higher compensation but I have no idea what range.

HG: So they are they basically willing players to the negligence taking place?

MVT: Yes, fully.

HG: What about other volunteers, clearly they can’t avoid seeing the same things you’re seeing. What do they have to say about it all? Do they not also see there’s something profoundly wrong taking going on in this place?

MVT: Some people actually believe they’re helping these patients, and are honestly more interested in feeling better about themselves by justifying cultural differences and that this is just how things are in places like India and others in the west wouldn’t understand; also the religious aspect of this organization is a huge factor for many who feel that speaking against Mother Teresa’s organization would be considered offensive or even blasphemous in some of their social circles or with their friends and families.

I honestly do try to see the good in Premdan, there are some small aspects.

HG: Positive aspects such as?

MVT: For example with this one girl they found on the streets with her skull cracked open, she would have died had she not come here.

HG: But why not take her to a hospital?

MVT: I don’t know that’s the catch 22, she would have died on the streets but now she has a miserable life in Premdan.

HG: It almost sounds like they bring these people to these houses and keep them alive, they become, and I despise using the word “specimens” for volunteers to visit and interact with.

MVT: Yes. The first day that I worked there I actually wrote a paper for one I my classes I basically felt that they were like animals in a zoo positioned for me and others to come and watch.

HG: I’ve often said these houses are poverty petting zoos, as I think this is the culture The Missionaries of Charity have created over the years for westerners to come and pet the poor and go home and feel good about themselves and align themselves with the “saintly” image of the founder of this charity (Mother Teresa) while not deconstructing the problem or actually questioning the blatant negligence. I wonder how many of these volunteers would find these practices acceptable for them or any member of their families.

MVT: If there weren’t women like Roxana or the other young girls who need to be handfed and physically attended to; many volunteers wouldn’t come to these houses; this may sound terrible but a room full of stagnant and immobile patients has no appeal to those seeking some sort of feeling of exercising compassion.

HG: Speaking of food; I’m getting conflicting reports about the quality of the food in some of the houses. What is the diet like for the patients in Premdan?

MVT: Not really sure about the breakfast as I’m not there to witness, but around 9-9:30AM they get biscuits and chai but what worries me is that some of the patients of the second floor which have more mobility and less health issues have preferential treatment by some of the workers and some get more food than others, and some of the weaker patients get lesser rations and when they asked for more are denied; so there’s definitely preference going on between the workers and some of the patients since the nuns don’t hand out the food.

HG: What do the nuns actually do?

MVT: I don’t really know! They do some type of medical procedures in the morning if you want to call it that.

HG: Medical procedures? Please explain:

MVT: They dress wounds, and inconsistently give iron injection to some of the women seemingly making no distinction between the weak or healthy one; but that’s pretty much all I see them do and then they spend the rest of the morning praying and singing.

HG: Doesn’t sound like there’s a logical order to their method. Do you think the nuns actually have any idea about what is going on?

MVT: No it doesn’t seem that way because everyday things change; what patient gets what medicine and how. It’s quite confusing.

HG: A doctor from the United States who also volunteered at Premdan for about a week, has asked that we not publish his name but had this to say:

“Ironically during orientation volunteers are specifically told that these are NOT medical facilities. No one explains what the overall objective is, from the simple explanation it is a home, not a hospital, but a home where people with illness and medical issues are brought in and constantly given medicines without proper diagnosis.”

“Are doctors on staff or permanently on site? No. A doctor visits once a week, Wednesdays usually, the “Kalighat” section or also known as “The Home of the Dying” there are about 50 men and women crammed in small rooms just lying on cots. Every person they take on is ultimately a patient, every single person is one. A mentally handicapped man or woman, someone with wounds or undefined health issues. Some of the nuns claim they are nurses of have had some sort of medical training but I have yet to see any certificates or documentation detailing their specialty. There’s some sort of log which one of the nun keeps but nothing very detailed. I once witnessed one patient with diarrhea who was given IV and an antibiotic but then nothing else for days”

“Wound care is decent. They are not operating to level they can be, not comparing it to the western world, and I personally think they could offer more physical and occupational therapy which they do very little of if not at all. There are no physical therapists on staff. Occupational therapy, teaching handicap individuals how to manage daily life tasks with a particular activities of daily living are essential to the wellbeing of all of these patients”

“My biggest issue even over some of the medical issues is the log sheets with lack of information, even a simple things as having names instead of  numbers for the men and women currently held there, and of course there’s no history of diagnosis, medicines given, etc. To some extent some of the nuns seem medically trained but to what degree and specialty it’s unknown. What country or what specialty they were trained in? Unknown, which school? Unknown. Degree unknown. And when medical action is required they don’t spring into action as I once witness a patient in the patio falling and suffering serious wound to his head while a nun just stood there staring, luckily me and another volunteer rushed him inside and were able to stop the bleeding after doing a proper dressing”

“Prior to arriving in Calcutta I was working on an east Asia location where an NGO clinic operating on $17,000- 22,000USD monthly which was able to provide diagnosis tests from HIV, CBC complete blood count, electrolyte panel, TB and malaria diagnosis, blood typing, blood transfusion, 50+ consultation emergencies from suturing to physical exams as well as administering DOTS direct observation therapy, 30-50 baby deliveries per month (all in the facility) 60 in-care, 300 out patients a day, and always looking to improve their facilities and equipment with every donation outside budget, etc, all of this with LESS than $22,000USD a month!”

“They should have at least minimum blood/lab work-up for HIV, sputum samples for TB, blood tests, x rays, one has to wonder where all the money is actually going”

“If I could change one thing it would be instituting activity programs immediately! The patients have absolutely NOTHING to do except just lay there, if volunteers are in the mood to engage with them, they might get some entertainment, a volunteers did card tricks one day but then he never came back. They should have educational, physical activities, gardening, go on walks, arts and craft and not sit there idle. It only worsens their condition!”

HG: How many volunteers would you say have come through the house during your months there?

MVT: Hundreds! At least 200-300 hundred!

HG: What’s the average length of time they work there?

MVT: From what I could see, 1-2 weeks.

HG: How do these patients arrive at Premdan?

MVT: There is dispensary work done in the filed by a small group of long term volunteers, and this is one of the strangest practices of the organization, as only some volunteers who are in Calcutta for a long term are specifically chosen by the nuns and are strictly forbidden to speak to anyone about their job, duties, or how they collect these patients off the streets. I totally stay away from the dispensary as I feel the whole thing is very shady. And once the patients are brought in, for example, if they survive Kalighat or the section now inside Premdan for the old “Home of the Dying” then they are moved to another section of the building.

HG: IF someone “survives” Kalighat? Please explain:

MVT: Yes. Kalighat being the first option to wheel someone to their death rather than actually figuring out what exactly is wrong with them first.

HG: We’re talking about the same building where these nuns could bring doctors, diagnose conditions or take patients immediately to hospitals, right?

MVT: Yes. And even simple things like controlling the lice problem.

HG: The lice issue seems to be a common problem in the houses operated by The Missionaries of Charity, why is that?

MVT: I have no idea! The volunteers are flabbergasted by this too!

HG: Slums that I personally know of and actually work with have LESS of a lice problem than these houses!

MVT: They just shave their heads, and they keep doing it in stages, so when a batch starts growing hair then the lice returns and it’s just a vicious and unnecessary cycle. And specially the patients upstairs who can often speak and refuse to allow their heads to be shaven, and rightfully so! These women have very little if nothing at all left, so they’ll fight to defend their dignity!

HG: What is your over all opinion of The Missionaries of Charity, Premdan, The Home of the Dying, etc?

MVT: I am so disappointed and conflicted; when I first got there I thought my time and energy was being used efficiently, then I was introduced to Roxana and became more observant and stopped being so ignorant and immediately started seeing the gaping flaws in everything which isn’t hard to miss, so it’s quite frustrating. In the one hand I like that they’re giving these women a place to live but on the other hand I hate that they have the money, resources to do physical therapy and stimulation programs, and to place women like Roxana in hospitals and save their lives!

HG: Was any of this remotely close to what you thought this organization was like or your work would be?

MVT: No. I thought I was going to be here assisting people in serious need of help and contribute to a developing society. I never thought I would watch a 17 year old die daily on my own watch; that is not what I signed up for!

HG: Do you think they will change any of their practices?

MVT: No. Every time anyone suggests anything to improve the facilities or conditions we’re basically “shooed” away! I was spoke to this way by the nuns every day I mentioned the fact that Roxana needed to go a hospital; and I refused to be quiet or go away, and every day I spoke up and every day I demanded that they take Roxana to a hospital.

HG: What happens when you leave?

MVT: NOTHING. Roxana will die, no one will care, and things will remain the same. New volunteers will come in and they won’t even who she was.

Meghan returned to Premdan the day after this interview to discover that Roxana had died overnight. Cause of death: unknown. She took a photo of her body wrapped up before it was sent to the crematory along with other photos of this “medical” facility operated by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. Sadly Meghan was hoping to have a photo of Roxana while she was still alive but The Missionaries of Charity have a strict rule about photos being taken and only allow them on the last day of the volunteer’s duty and only after receiving a “photo permission slip” issued by one of the managing nuns.

Please take a moment to go through the photos in the album (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.202937446414672.45825.181945775180506) and share this interview and our page: www.facebook.com/missionariesofcharity in your walls and or pages/groups you may manage. Roxana and countless others do not have a voice; it is up to us to stop this madness and make it impossible for the media and the Indian government to ignore this ongoing human rights violation!

Hemley Gonzalez,

STOP The Missionaries of Charity

www.stopthemissionariesofcharity.com

www.facebook.com/missionariesofcharity

This is the body of Roxana wrapped up before it was sent to the crematory along with other photos of this “medical” facility operated by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. Please visit the following link to see the complete album with pictures of this facility and its operation: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.202937446414672.45825.181945775180506 Please continue to share our page in your wall and or pages/groups you may manage and help us spread the message. Awareness is the key to change! www.facebook.com/missionariesofcharity

 

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/notes/hemley-gonzalez/17-year-old-girl-left-to-die-in-premdan-a-medical-facility-operated-by-mother-te/218013688217071