A Hindu and Muslim who have been friends for more than four decades passed away together at a hospital near Ariyalur.
Mahalingam, 78, a resident of Jubilee Road, Jayankondam, Ariyalur district, was a priest at the Kaliamman temple who also ran a tea shop in the area. Jainulabudin, 66, who lived opposite his house, ran a rice mill.
The two have been close friends for 40 years and regularly participated in auspicious and mourning ceremonies held at their homes. Old age had led to both of them develop ailments taking a toll on their health.
For the past few days, the two have been receiving treatment at Jayankondam Government Hospital in adjacent beds. The two died in a row within half an hour yesterday evening.
Their relatives and the people of the area paid a tearful tribute to both and rejoiced at having been inseparable even in death.
This is Part 3 of a Special Report on the Kerala-based Christian evangelical organisation, Gospel For Asia, and the Believers Eastern Church. Here are Part 1 and Part 2.
A series of actions taken by various Indian law enforcement agencies and Indian tax authorities against Kerala-based Gospel for Asia have brought to light large-scale diversion of donor funds for acquisition of assets and investment in “for profit” activities. One of India’s largest evangelical organisations, Gospel For Asia (GFA) is headed by self-styled Bishop Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan, Believers Eastern Church.
GFA is also facing a class action suit in Canada from aggrieved donors and has just settled another class action suit in USA from aggrieved donors. Donor funds vanishing into thin air, funds ’round-tripped’ from the US to India and back to the US as “anonymous donations”, diversion of donor funds into for-profit activities, defamation suits to browbeat opponents − this is only a tip of the proverbial iceberg of serious allegations levelled against GFA and Believers’ Church.
The Lure of “100 % Guarantee For Donor Fund to Field”
Donors to GFA were assured that 100 % of their donations will be sent to the field-intended beneficiaries without any administrative or other expenses. This guarantee was a huge motivating factor for donors to send in their donations. A donor sending in donation for child support was under the assurance that his or her entire donation will reach the child. But that was not the case.
Apart from diverting nearly 80 % of the donations to non-donor intended purposes, even the wordings of the “100 % guarantee” were altered in due course. An excerpt from the now settled class action law suit reads:
27. But GFA revised its explanation of the 100% Guarantee by adding the following wholly new verbiage: “We are committed to honouring your gift preferences, however, occasionally we receive more contributions for a given project than can be wisely applied to that project. When this happens we use the funds to meet a similar pressing need.”
The following two screenshots from GFA’s website illustrate the change:
Investment in “For Profit” Activities out of Donor Tied Funds:
In flagrant violation of India’s Foreign Currency Regulation Act, 2010 and a complete diversion of donor funds, Gospel for Asia and Believers Church invested huge sums of money in acquiring rubber plantations, construction of hospitals, colleges and schools. An excerpt from the now settled class action law suit:
38. Yohannan created Believers Church in 2003. From 2003 through 2014, GFAsolicited and collected approximately $700,000,000 from U.S. donors. During this period, Believers Church bought and operated the following: (1) A 2,300-acre for-profit rubber plantation, the Cheruvally Rubber Estate (2) Carmel Engineering College, a for-profit undergraduate institute in Kerala, India, of which K.P. Yohannan is the “patron” as shown on the College’s homepage (3) Believers Church Medical College Hospital, a for-profit, 500-bed teaching hospital established in Kerala in 2014, of which K.P. Yohannan is the “patron,” 4) At least six for-profit primary schools in Kerala, India, for which K.P. Yohannan is patron (5) Sponsorship of a football (soccer) club playing the Myanmar National League.
The Missing Millions of Gospel For Asia:
In 2013, of the $76.3 million GFA-International received from GFA entities in the United States, Canada, and Germany, almost $43 million went missing, no longer accounted for in GFA financial documents nor received in India per FC-6 forms.
The four Indian-based GFA affiliates (GFA-India, Believers Church, Love India Ministries, and Last Hour Ministries) declared receipt of $33.6 million from foreign sources. Just $28.3 million was declared to have come from the U.S., Canada, and Germany through GFA-International; the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand had sent the balance directly to these GFA affiliates.
Between 2007-2014, Gospel for Asia spent around 20% of donor funds on actual mission expenditure, i.e., donor tied specific sponsorships like child support, water wells, toilets, blankets purchase of livestock for income support etc. Rest of the funds were diverted for other activities in a complete let down of donor’s intentions.
2013 – Gospel for Asia. Utilisation of donations for various activities (Class Action Suit document page 18/109, para 29. (Source: Gospel For Asia financial statements and FCRA returns submitted to Govt. of India)Exhibit 5 of Class Action Suit (since settled out of court)
Misleading Statements in Public Appearances
Gospel for Asia leader KP Yohannan, who calls himself “Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan, Believers Eastern Church” has been caught in many bold-faced lies, including saying that he is not on any boards or trusts in India and has no legal control of entities there, when numerous public records show that he has full legal authority over Believers’ Church, its assets, and other entities there.
During a meeting with staff and in an interview with Francis Chan uploaded in Gospel Asia’s YouTube Channel, he said:
My role is being a spiritual father of right now about 2.7 million people scattered throughout all these nations and I do not have any legal say or decision about legal matters. My role is a spiritual leadership. You may not have asked that but there are hundreds of trusts and entities in all these countries. I don’t sit on any of those things. There are their own people. And my role is the spiritual leadership.
Contrary to what Yohanan said, a perusal of the constitution of the Believers Church shows that the Metropolitan of Believers Church wields enormous powers and is the final authority on every issue concerning Believers Church. He has powers not only on spiritual matters, but on entire administration, organisation and restructuring/re-organisation of Believers Church. In most of the court cases filed by Believers Church, Government agencies, brochures of educational institutions of Believers Church, Yohanan is shown as the Managing Trustee of Believers Church.
Excerpts of the Constitution of the Believers’ Church outlining the powers of the Metropolitan Bishop
Believers Church Properties Registered Personally Under the Name of the Metropolitan, and not the Church Institution
According to the Constitution, the Metropolitan also is co-owner with Believers Church of all property maintained by the church. In 2005, local church pastors were reminded to register property in Yohannan’s name. The following letter was sent to make sure they did it according to church policy.
A copy of the letter sent to local church pastors by GFA, reminding them to register properties under the name of the Metropolitan Bishop
This is in clear violation of Foreign Currency Regulation Act, 2010 which mandates that all properties created out of FCRA receipts shall be registered in the name of the institution receiving the funds. FCRA rules clearly state that:
Every asset purchased with foreign contribution should be acquired and possessed in the name of the association since an association has a separate legal entity distinct from its members.
In view of this rule of the GFA of registering church properties in the name of K P Yohanan in his capacity as the Metropolitan of the Believer’s Church, it is quite possible that numerous properties are registered under his name. For example, in reply to an RTI query, the Mandal Parishad Development Officer of Tadepalligudem Mandal in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh gave the reply that in the village of Dandugarra, the site of Believers Church is registered in the name of K P Yohanan and not in the name of the church.
Reply to the RTI query revealing that in the village of Dandugarra, the site of Believers Church is registered in the name of K P Yohanan and not in the name of the church
Since land records are maintained by state governments, Government of India should attach all properties of Believers’ Church in India. They should also obtain full details of each and every property registered in the name of K P Yohanan or Believers Church anywhere in India.
Diversion of Donor Funds to Income-generating Activities and Asset Buying:
One of the charges levied against Gospel for Asia by the Ecumenical Council for Financial Authority was diversion of donor money towards income generating activities. To quote from their report:
1. Use of field-generated funds to satisfy designated foreign contributions. During our meeting on July 1, ECFA first learned that GFA and its field partners have engaged in a multi-year practice whereby field partners at least partially satisfied the designations on foreign contributions (primarily from U.S. donors, restricted for field use in India) by using locally generated field income (contributions from donors in India, profits from an India based rubber plantation, hospitals, etc.).
Such a move is clear violation of donor’s mandate as well as the provisions of Clause 8, Section 1(a) FCRA Act, 2010 which clearly states that:
Every person, who is registered and granted a certificate or given prior permission under this Act and receives any foreign contribution shall utilise such contribution for the purposes for which the contribution has been received.
Investing FCRA contributions in profitable ventures and using the profits arising thereof for welfare activities is also prohibited by FCRA Act and the rules framed thereunder. Between 2003 and 2013, only 20 % of the donor funds were utilised for donor mandated purposes and 80% was diverted for Gospel for Asia−Believers Church asset acquisitions and investments in “for profit” business ventures.
There are several income producing entities in Asia. That’s why partly why we have 35% of our church is self-sustaining, by God’s grace now in Asia.
From the foregoing, it is very clear that Gospel for Asia and Believers Church had a clear-cut strategy of diverting the bulk of donor funds to asset building and investments in “for profits” ventures so that they could be totally self-sustaining without depending upon any donor or subject themselves to the laws of various countries. In a ruthless pursuit of this objective, they have completely let down their donors who parted with their hard-earned money to help the poor and needy. For more than three decades, GFA has violated multiple laws in countries where it operates. Though the law is slowly catching up with the violations of GFA and Believers Church, the sheer scale of operations of GFA spanning almost all continents over a time period of three decades calls for a much wider and deeper probe by Indian law enforcement agencies. They should consider joining the ongoing class action suit in Canada.
Another step that needs to be implemented immediately is to make it mandatory to submit to the Government of India, on a quarterly basis, all literature, posters, videos, and other material relating to fund-raising by FCRA NGOs abroad. The sheer amount of misinformation about India, especially portraying India as a country of mass poverty, is causing serious damage to the nation’s image.
This part concludes the Special Report on the alleged fund-diversions and other illegalities perpetrated by Gospel For Asia and Believers’ Church.
Acknowledgement: The author of this report acknowledges the efforts made by Warren Throckmorton, a blogger and professor at Grove City College (https://www.wthrockmorton.com/), who has meticulously documented, from 2015 onwards, all issues relating to GFA. Despite threats of legal action, he has exposed the misdeeds of Gospel For Asia and Believers Church.
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On Thursday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefed the Chief Ministers of all the states about the necessary procedures to be followed in order to take stock of the rapid progression of the second wave of COVID-19. The meeting also reviewed the current situation in each state as well as the vaccination progress.
During this meeting, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s distracted antics became an object of ridicule and soon started becoming viral on social media. Screenshots of the videocall showed him half asleep, with disinterested expressions on his face started being shared by multiple users on Twitter, and several people amongst the Twitterati accused him of throwing ‘caution to the air’, as he had not been paying attention to the PM’s instructions on the standard procedures to be followed in order to curb the spread of the virus.
Soon after these images started making news, there were several users who also shared screenshots of the Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray busily checking his phone while in the meeting.
Netizens, who were enraged at these careless displays by the CMs of two states whose coronavirus tolls were the highest, accused them saying that their attitude was the reason for the rapid increase in the cases in their states. They went on to say that it was worthy of shame that two CMs who had constantly been critical about the Modi government were doing such acts.
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A pilot initiative by Karnataka last month of having boxes of beehives in fences where there were high elephant trespassing instances proved to be highly effective in terms of frightening elephants and making them run away. This was launched under Project RE-HAB, which is expanded as Reducing Elephant – Human Attacks using Bees. This had cost ₹15 lakhs.
Following the success of this initiative, Karnataka’s forest officials (KVIC) had informed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari who had appreciated their efforts and pushed for the implementation of this project in other states as well.
“It has provided relief to farmers and is saving crops and precious lives. West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are major elephant–human conflict zones where KVIC is planning to implement Project RE-HAB in a phased manner,” he tweeted with a video of the initiative.
Congratulating @kvicindia for implementing innovative solution to reduce elephant-human interaction with Project RE-HAB.
The bees irritate the elephant and deter them. By putting up bee boxes on the periphery of forests, they have reduced elephant movement in human territory. pic.twitter.com/DaiMK1gSFU
Speaking about the success of this program, Banglu Venugopal, KVIC Nodal Officer in Madikeri, told Indianexpress.com that, “Farmers in the area were not aware that such a technique would work well initially. However, with the sudden dip in the frequency of elephants entering the area, this initiative has become the talk of the town. We are ready to share the science behind this with more people to help them develop this on their own as well.”
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With a vision to empower the youth of the North Eastern Region(NER) with industry-relevant skills to enhance their productivity and contribute to the economy, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) today conducted a first-of-its-kind regional workshop for Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0 in Gangtok, Sikkim. Key personnel of State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs) and District Skill Committees (DSCs) across all eight states – Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram Nagaland and Tripura participated in the workshop. Aimed at learning from the best practices, understanding the challenges related to PMKVY 3.0, and building understanding about using the technical platform – Skill India Portal (SIP), workshop witnessed participation of central / state officials.
Several dignitaries including Satish Chandra Rai, Advisor, Skill Development Department, Sikkim; Praveen Kumar, Secretary, MSDE; Atul Kumar Tiwari, Addl. Secretary, MSDE; Dr Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC, Sanjeev Kumar Jt. Director (Skill Development), MSDE; Ganga Devi Pradhan, Secretary, Skill Development Department, Sikkim among others attended the workshop. Various Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) also attended the workshop through video conferencing.
Ministry of Skill Development &Entrepreneurship was formed on November 9, 2014 by the Government of India to focus on enhancing employability of skills. The Ministry aims at bridging the gap between demand and supply of skilled manpower to build new skills and innovation not only for existing jobs but also for jobs that are to be created. Till date, around 5.5 crore people have been trained under Skill India. Under its flagship programme, PMKVY 1.0 and PMKVY 2.0 more than 1.21 crore youth have been trained.
(Source: PIB)
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Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr.Jitendra Singh today flagged off India Russia Friendship Car Rally 2021. The event organized by International Friendship Car Rally Association, IFCRA, will take place in Russia from 18th to 20th April. This is the 5th IFCRA edition and there are 14 participants from IFCRA India representing the North East.
Speaking after the flag-off ceremony, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Russia has been a reliable partner of India and joint sporting events will further strengthen the bonds of friendship. He said that diplomatic, social and cultural ties with Russia scaled new heights under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dr Jitendra Singh hoped that participants from the North East region in this event will further add to growing bilateral ties.
The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Ministry of External Affairs.
(Source: PIB)
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Violence broke out, post-election on Wednesday (7 April) in the Kannur district of Kerala, after a 22-year-old Muslim League worker Mansur was hacked to death in violence.
The violent incident took place after the conclusion of polling at the Kuthuparamba region of the district and as per the report, at least 10 Left party offices including the CPI(M) Peringathur local committee office, branch committee offices in the town, Aachimukku, Keezhmadam, Kochiyangado and Kadavathur branch committee offices have been vandalised.
Also, a few libraries were burned down allegedly by the Indian Union Muslim League workers during in the Kannur district during Mansur’s funeral procession.
District Collector T V Subhash has called an all-party peace meeting at 11 am on Thursday and Kannur Superintendent of Police Ilango R reportedly told PTI that police resorted to baton charge and used grenades to dismiss the violent crowd in the Kolavellur police station limits.
“Around five-six persons, mostly Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) workers, were taken into custody after some miscreants have vandalised around five-party offices in Chockli and Kolavellur police station limits. A few more were also attacked in other places”, he said.
During the violence that took place between the communists and the Muslims, three police personnel were injured in and a police bus was damaged.
A CPI party official informed PTI that at least five of their offices were burnt down by IUML members. “Even though the police claim that everything was under control, the Muslim League workers are threatening the CPI(M) families,” he added.
Kannur is one of the strongholds of the CPI (M) and has the polls closed in Kerala on Tuesday night, violence broke out in this area between the Left workers and members of the Indian Union Muslim League that led to the death of an IUML worker, while his brother is being treated at a hospital in Kozhikode.
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In an exemplary act of bravery and courage, Commando Balraj Singh, a Sikh trooper of the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) wing, used his dastar (turban) to bandage the wound of his fellow commando, reports Zee News.
The turban is a significant article of Sikh faith and is supposed to be never removed.
Trooper Balraj had also sustained injuries while fighting with Maoists in Chhattisgarh. However, he did not care about his well-being and his act of bravery has now earned him accolades.
His wife Yadwinder Kaur told the media, “It was terrifying to know that he was injured but at the same time I felt proud of his bravery and how he had kept the dignity of his turban by helping a person in need.”
His maternal aunt Ranbir Kaur said, “It’s nothing less than making a sacrifice for a Sikh to remove his turban – a Sikh’s pride.”
Balraj Singh’s mother Harjeet Kaur said that her only son Balraj had always wanted to join the army.
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In more trouble for the Maha Vikas Aghadi government (MVA) in Maharashtra which is now being called the “Maha Vasooli” government, former Mumbai Police Crime Branch officer Sachin Vaze has accused former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Transport Minister Anil Parab of putting pressure on him to extort money from the contractors of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), illegal tobacco factories and bars in the city.
Vaze’s letter, which is now out in the open, has sent shockwaves not only within the Nationalist Congress Party-Congress-Shiv Sena government but also the entire country.
Shocking allegations made by suspended cop #SachinVaze in a letter reportedly written by him. It alleges that Anil Deshmukh demanded Rs 2 cr from him to get reinstated in police service & ordered to collect money from contractors & bars.Serious allegations against Anil Parab too. pic.twitter.com/uPD6jwCcnj
However, senior officials of the NIA remained tightlipped on the authenticity of Vaze’s letter.
In a handwritten letter to the Special NIA Court dated 3 April, Vaze claimed that NCP chief Sharad Pawar was against his reinstatement into Mumbai Police in 2020 after having been suspended for 16 years.
In the letter, Vaze, who was previously the chief of Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU), said that Deshmukh had asked him to collect ₹3-3.5 lakh each from 1,650 bars and restaurants in Mumbai but he had refused.
Vaze also claimed that Maharashtra Transport Minister and Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab had asked him to extort money for him, and he had met the Minister at his official bungalow where Parab asked him to initiate primary talks to get ₹50 crore from Saifee Burhani Upliftment (SBUT) to close an enquiry. Vaze in his letter also mentions how Parab told him to collect ₹2 crore from contractors listed with the BMC.
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West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking at a rally in Cooch Behar on Wednesday (7 April), accused central forces of asking people to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Banerjee then asked her supporters, particularly women, to “gherao (surround) CRPF personnel if they try to foment trouble”.
For what is arguably the first time in the history of Indian elections, a politician has openly accused the central forces – who ensure that the elections are held in a free and fair manner without any violence – of being biased.
“One group should gherao them (CRPF personnel) and another group should go and vote if CRPF personnel foment trouble,” Banerjee said at a rally in Cooch Behar. “Do not waste your vote. Your vote will be wasted if all of you gherao them and that is exactly what BJP wants,” she said.
She then went on to say that during elections, policemen turn BJP supporters. However, Mamata also said, “I respect CRPF, but have no respect for BJP’s CRPF.”
“I want a peaceful vote. People should be allowed to cast their votes. The CRPF should not stop people from voting. Who has asked central forces to tell people: ‘Vote for BJP’? Who has asked them to do ‘Modi or Didi’? I respect real jawans but not this BJP CRPF who are assaulting women, harassing people,” she said
The BJP claimed Banerjee had tried to create a law-and-order problem by accusing the country’s security forces and lodged a complaint against her with the Election Commission (EC).
#Breaking | BJP moves EC against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's comment allegedly asking to 'gherao CRPF jawans'. BJP calls the statement 'anti-national' & asks EC to bar Mamata from campaigning anymore.
The Election Commission has sought a report from the district magistrate on the matter.
Mamata had urged her supporters to lodge FIRs against the men in uniform “if they tell you that you cannot vote” and told women, to be brave. “These central forces are going to villages to ensure that women do not vote. So, my mothers and sisters, if you are told not to vote, will you listen? A single vote is more important than guns and bombs,” she said.
Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani hit out at the West Bengal CM for bring aspersion and disrepute on the integrity of the Central Forces.
Union minister Smriti Irani hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the latter's comments regarding personnel of the CRPF.
Banerjee reportedly said that she respects 'real soldiers', but not those who 'create nuisance, and harass people at the behest of BJP' pic.twitter.com/pW4sKzkXuo
After three phases of elections, Mamata Banerjee is now also trying to rally the Muslim votes. She has asked Muslims to vote for her and not split the vote.
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