Author: Arjanlal Sharma, Vice Chairman,
Sewa International UK
Publication: Organiser
Date: December 29, 2002
Q. What is the aim of Sewa International?
A. Sewa International is a non-governmental
and nonsectarian voluntary organisation, ever ready in lending a helping
hand to the needy, offering all assistance to the unfortunate and underprivileged
by helping them reconstruct their life.
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) used
to give donations locally. Later it decided to expand its activities internationally.
Sewa International was established in the year 1989. It concentrates on
providing relief work at the time of natural calamity or disaster. See
in UK, we donated money to arthritis and rheumatism associations, schools
and hospitals. Locally, we aim at providing charity work in the fields
of education and health. But at international level, we provide help to
any country, which has been hit by natural disasters like flood, earthquake
and cyclone donated funds for the Ethiopian drought, Mozambique flood (Africa),
Turkish earthquake and we donated around the world in no uncertain terms
without prejudice and without looking at any caste, creed or colour. Sewa
International is a humanitarian organisation and its motto is "Service
to humanity is the service to God". Sewa International encourages social
integration not social division. We issue an appeal if there is any calamity
or natural disaster; we collect money and donate it. Recently, we issued
an appeal to collect funds for rebuilding of war-ravaged Afghanistan. In
the face of the recent floods in Scotland and Wales in England, we collected
inure than 1000 pounds and gave it to the local MP for the relief work.
Q. Does Sewa International provide
only relief works to the victims of natural disasters or does it also undertake
service-based projects across the world?
A. Besides various relief projects
in times of natural calamities, Sewa International also hold service based
projects in the fields of education and welfare. The organisation also
undertakes welfare of tribal people particularly the tribal girls, organises
schools for the children of the displaced families in Jammu and Kashmir
and blood donation camps and health-care seminars.
Sewa Bharati of India is closely
connected with Sewa International. In other countries, we don't have that
kind of set-up. In foreign countries, either we issue cheques to the Red
Cross or we donate money to the embassies concerned. Whenever we receive
requests from any country, we lend a helping hand in our capacity.
Q. Could you please elaborate on
your service-based projects with Sewa Bharati, India?
A. See, through Sewa Bharati we
donated around 3 crore rupees to earthquake-ravaged people of Latur in
Maharashtra. Then we donated around 1.5 crore rupees to the victims of
super cyclone in Orissa.
In Gujarat, after the earthquake,
we had adopted 10 villages (one village contains houses that range from
60 to 300). Sewa International was also giving help in rebuilding schools,
community centres in the severely earthquake-affected areas.
Q. Can you please give your comment
on the report in The Times of India, December 14, 2002, titled "RSS-backed
charities under UK scanner?
A. The newspaper, which has reported
the news item, should understand that Sewa International is not an RSS-backed
organisation. The allegation is totally false and misleading, Sewa International
is a Sewa Project of HSS. A malicious propaganda is going on against Sewa
international by the Left wings of UK.
Those people who put blame on Sewa
International should visit those ten villages that are adopted by us and
that open their eyes.
A person called Adam Patel who is
a member of House of Lord in UK, instigated the Charity Of Commissions
to inquire. I think he wrote to Charity Commission that the money collected
for Gujarat had not been spent only for the relief work. Charity Commission
looks into all the charity works. So, if somebody complaints, then it is
the duty of the Charity Commission to investigate and satisfy itself to
maintain the charity status of the charity. As far as I know, Charity Commission
is fully satisfied on the charity work of Sewa Bharati.
Q. Do you think that there is any
conspiracy behind this complaint?
A. It may be a design of anyone.
Every good cause has a blot on it. If you arc doing some good work, there
bound to be some mischief-makers too. Either they do not like the organisation
or there are also some people who are allergic to the Hindu organisations.
Q. Who do you suspect behind this
design?
A. You know, Left wing is normally
suspected because they have got allergy to those organisations, which are
active for the uplift of Hindus or Hindu interests. But we are least bothered
about these alien forces. Our book is open as far as Sewa is concerned.
It is very difficult for me to comment more on this as the Vice-Chairman
of Sewa international. Until and unless the inquiry is completed, it is
not advisable to comment on it.
Lot of organisations in UK had donated
the money to us. One Shri Kutch Leva Patel Community (UK) has donated one
million pounds and is 'working directly with Sewn Bharati in India. Puri
Foundation has also collected one million pounds and is working with Sewa
international. People ha, got faith in Sewa international (UK), otherwise
how can they donate such big donations to us? Sewa International's activities
have not only been praised by eminent individuals but also by the MPs,
Police in UK, hospitals in UK and local Councillors in UK. And more importantly,
Prince Charles himself has also praised the works of Sewa International.
Many individuals such as the Lord Mayor of Derby together with several
labour MPs and representatives from the media visited the earthquake affected
areas of Gujarat and have personally approved, endorsed and commanded the
rehabilitation work carried out by Sewa Bharati.
