We have noticed that grave accusations are made against Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) of America (VHPA) by certain groups and people and media has reported them without verifying the facts. We would like to set the record straight.

From India to the United States, Hindus, Muslims and Christians criticized her appointment, alleging that she has links to Hindu militants. News of Indian American groups' protests was the top story on the Times of India's Web site for days.

In a statement obtained exclusively by NextGov and National Journal, Ms. Sonal Shah is reported to have said: In 2002, Gujarat suffered one of the most profound tragedies in its long history, when extremist political leaders, including some associated with the VHP, incited riots that resulted in the deaths of thousands. Had I been able to foresee the role of the VHP in India in these heinous events, or anticipate that the VHP of America could possibly stand by silently in the face of its Indian counterpart's complicity in the events of Gujarat in 2002 -- thereby undermining the American group's cultural and humanitarian efforts with which I was involved -- I would not have associated with the VHP of America.

VHP of America abhors any kind of violence and it had written a letter to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on June 17, 2002 condemning burning alive of 58 Hindu passengers in Sabarmati Express at Godhra by a Muslim mob and the ”despicable violence in its aftermath” (Exhibit A) The same letter also appeared in India Aboard of August 9, 2002. (Exhibit B) These documents clearly demonstrate that VHPA did not stand by silently when the violence erupted in Gujarat.

Ms. Shah’s statement would mislead the readers to assume that the Gujarat riots erupted without any provocation and put onus on the Hindus for the riots. We are constrained to point out the genesis of the riots, i.e. burning alive of 58 Hindu pilgrims by Muslims for no fault of theirs. As per the figures given by the Union Minister of State for Home Shriprakash Jaiswal, who belongs to the Congress Party, in Parliament on 11 May 2005, 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed in the riots, 2548 people were injured and 223 people were missing.

While violence in any form must be condemned, it is wrong to term the Gujarat riots as something worst that happened in India. These riots are part of a continued saga of Islamic violence in India since 8th century that includes the infamous Mumbai blasts in 1993 orchestrated by Ibrahim Dawood who is now sheltered by Pakistan and the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai. More than 50,000 Hindus have been killed by Muslim separatists in Kashmir in the last decade of the last century and a half million Hindus have been driven out from Kashmir by the same Muslim extremists.

Mr. Gautam Nagesh of National Journal has implied that VHP of America is a “branch” of VHP, India. VHP of America is an independent body, registered as a not-for-profit corporation under IRS code 501 C (3) and is governed by the laws of the land. We reiterate that VHPA is independent of any organization, whether in the US or anywhere else, legally, organizationally and fiscally. VHPA has been serving the Hindu American community for the last 38 years through its service-oriented programs and has been in the forefront of helping people in distress. VHPA has raised funds and helped victims everywhere. This includes not only victims of Gujarat earthquake but also of hurricane Hugo, Federal Building bombing in Oklahoma, World Trade Center attacks, Tsunami and Katrina.

We hope that this will set the records straight for VHP of America.

Thank you,

Gaurang G. Vaishnav
Executive Vice President
VHP of America
732-744-0851
Cell: 732-754-1727
vicharak@gmail.com