Where is the Missing File of VHP :
By Om Prakash Tiwari
(Hastakshep : Rastriya Sahara , New Delhi on 6th February, 1999)
Harsh Kapoor
South Asia Citizens Web

The corridors of power in Delhi have mysteriously suppressed a file of
the Income Tax Department which was investigating into the fund of Rs
300 crore coming from NRIs allegedly received by VHP ( Vishva Hindu
Parishad).

VHP has more than 80 branches all over the world. These are based in UK,
USA, Mauritius, and many countries of middle east Asia. The biggest one
is in USA. Through these branches the VHP propagated that it required
fund for the Ramtemple to be built at Ayodhya. Due to this publicity,
VHP amassed crores of rupees abroad between 1986 to 1989. The amount
received were in cheques and could be brought to India only after the
permission of Reserve Bank of india. In 1989,VHP asked RBI to permit to
bring this money to India but the RBI rejected VHP’s request on the
basis that VHP is a political organisation and so it cannot get
permission to bring this money to India.

According to Income Tax Commissioner Mr Vishwa Bandhu Gupta, the VHP
showed this order of RBI to its branches and supporters and asked them
to donate in cash as some anti-Hindu people were not allowing it in
India. After this the donors took their cheques back and paid in cash.
According to Mr Gupta about Rs 200 crore amount was brought to India
through Havala transaction. The VHP also campaigned in India for
Ramshila pujan and collected huge amount in cash as well as jwellary for
the temple fund. In 1989 the VHP inaugerated the Ramjanambhoomi and
according to sources about One Crore Sixty three lakhs rupees were
officially incurred as expenses. A committee was formed to keep a record
of income-expenditure of VHP. The members were Sant Paramhans, Vishnu
Hari Dalmiya and Ashok Singhal.

According to Income Tax laws any religious trust needs to give its
account every year to it. Section 11 of Income Tax Act says if any
organisation spreading religion and caste cannot be termed as
charitable. Besides this any amount that come to an organisation, 75% of
that must be spent during that year only. The investigation
Commissioner Vishva Bandhu Gupta said that in 1990 Income Tax
department got the information that VHP leaders have received ample
amount from abroad. During investigation it was found that VHP and BJP
are not separate bodies but there are several persons holding different
posts in both the organisations.

For example Vijayaraje Scindia was in both VHP as well as BJP. BJP was
also using the offices of VHP. After prelimimary investigations, Mr
Gupta sent notices to Dalmiya, Paramhans, Ashok Singhals and others as
per section 131 of Income Tax to give him account of VHP. He also asked
the details of Rs One Crore Sixty Three Lakhs from them used in
Shilaynyas purposes. The notice was issued on march 3rd, 1990 and they
received it on March 7th, 1990. Mr V.P.Singh was the prime minister
with the support of BJP and hence the VHP caders demonstrated in front
of PMs house on March 8th, 1990 against the notices issued to their
leaders. Prime Minister discussed this issue with department of law and
it was informed that the notice could only be taken back by the signing
authority. Later on finance minister Madhu Dandvate announced that by
mistake the order was issued and the related official has been
transferred from Delhi to Chennai. According to Mr Gupta, who was the
investigating official, VHP did not have any accounts of its
expenditure-income. According to Income Tax rule collection of money for
construction of temple is not a social work and the VHP did not file any
return by which it could be found out where it was getting the money.

There was noise in parliament on that occasion and later on again there
were several charges but still after 9 years that file has not been
opened. The fact is that the official who had sent the notice did not
take it back.