Teesta Setalvad received funds from HIVOS, Netherlands

Dutch fund Gujarat slander mills

Daily Pioneer, October 7, 2012

NGOs belonging to Teesta Setalvad, Shabnam Hashmi among recipients of Netherlands’ fund.

A Netherlands-based nongovernmental organisation is pumping in huge money in Gujarat-based NGOs and those from outside the State engaged mostly in Gujarat riots-related propaganda and litigation activities.

Humanistic Institute for Co-Operation with the Developing Countries (HIVOS) has given more than 13 lakh Euros (approximately `9.25 crore) to various NGOs in Gujarat between April 2008 and August 2012. The prominent among them are: DISHA (2,24,000 Euros), GKVP (2,07,000 Euros), SAFAR (1,84,000 Euros), MAHITI (1,04,000 Euros), SWATI (85,000 Euros), and UTHAN (63,000 Euros). DISHA belongs to Congress MP Madhusudan Mistry from Gujarat.

HIVOS has also funded various NGOs in Mumbai and Delhi. Mumbai-based Citizens for Justice & Peace (CJP), run by Teesta Setalvad, has got 10,000 Euros, and Delhi-based ANHAD, run by Shabnam Hashmi, 4,000 Euros. Both these NGOs are vehemently against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Shabnam Hashmi’s ANHAD got the 4,000 Euros for propagating democratic Rights & Freedom of expressions through dance, poetry and musical evenings in Gujarat. HIVOS has claimed that it “does not fund individuals”. However, a payment of `54,000 has been given to Mihir Desai directly in his name. Desai is the counsel of Setalvad and represents her in various courts.

In fact, in its agreement (dated 16/11/09), signed with CJP for the project “Documentation & Dissemination”, HIVOS has categorically mentioned that “the name and logo of HIVOS should be mentioned in all printed material, websites and publicity related to the project”.

The agreement was signed by Javed Anand, Setalvad’s husband, on behalf of CJP. Interestingly, the agreement has a very strange clause which states: “In principle, HIVOS requires the account to be held in the name of organisation with which the contract has been concluded. With mutual consent an exception may be and a different payee agreed upon.”

Moreover, although the project was titled “Documentation & Dissemination”, in the budget summary, more than 50% amount was earmarked for “fortnightly meetings/workshops in Gujarat, travel expenses of CJP secretary and establishment expenses at Ahmedabad”. This, sources said, indicates to HIVOS funding CJP for Gujarat-riots related issues.

The HIVOS has also routed funds through a Bangalore based Centre for the Study of Culture and Society (CSCS) for its pluralism programme focusing on two core themes: Human Rights, Pluralism and Rethinking the Secular State; and Faith and Diversity.

Under Human Rights, Pluralism and Rethinking the Secular State, the theme is “emerging challenges and dilemmas before human rights and secular interventions of civil society groups in countering the rapidly growing Hindutva majority fundamentalists and its various manifestations such as communalism and communal violence. Initiatives here include studies into the role of civil society in post-2002 Gujarat violence.”

Under Faith and Diversity, the theme is “(a) mapping of how questions of caste, class and gender are influencing transformation processes within Muslim identity formations in India. (b) What kind of civic spaces are emerging within the Muslim community in addressing the challenges posed by communal violence and demands of everyday peace and co-existence?”

The sustained interest shown by the HIVOS in Gujarat riots is evident from the fact that it has uploaded as many as 62 articles/reports on riot-related issues on its web portal.

The Netherlands-based NGO’s intentions in pumping in large funds in such NGOs and its interest in the various studies of Gujarat violence thus surely raise eyebrows.

Source: Daily Pioneer

Also View: Evidence Against Teesta Setalvad