In an earlier report, we have elaborated on the anti-Brahmin bigotry of Sylvia Karpagam, an activist associated with the Right to Food Campaign, a civil society initiative that has demanded that Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meals contract is terminated by the Karnataka government.
In this report, we shall delve into the background of the Right to Food Campaign (RFC) itself which has sent letters to the Chief Minister’s office and other departments of the state government with the above-stated demand.
The Foundation Statement of the RFC states, “The right to food campaign is an informal network of organisations and individuals committed to the realisation of the right to food in India.” The steering group of the RFC comprises of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and Jan Swasthya Abhiyaan (JSA) among others.
Human Rights Law Network (HRLN)
As we have reported earlier, the HRLN is part of a campaign to abolish sedition laws in India. Organizations associated the CDRO such as PUCL, PUDR, APDR, CPDR, APCLC are part of the same campaign. The HRLN is a division of the Socio-Legal Information Centre (SLiC). The SLIC receives crores of rupees in donations from Bread for the World and Miseroer, two Christian organizations which also provided funds to Equations, the organization that published the report demonizing the Amarnath Yatra. Miseroer was also connected to the French NGO that filed a complaint in France against the inter-governmental Rafale deal between India and France.
The organization has also received funds from the European Union and George Soros’ Open Society Institute. The French NGO that filed a complained against the Rafale deal in Franch, other than Miseroer, was also connected to George Soros. The HRLN has been providing free legal aid to Rohingya detainees across the country. The network has filed PILs related to the implementation of the RTE Act. The HRLN is also connected to COHR, Manipur, an organization that harbours separatist inclinations through its Manipur unit.
People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)
As for the PUCL, we have reported extensively on their links to the arrested ‘Urban Naxals’. One of those raided in connection with the violence at Bhima Koregaon, Sudha Bharadwaj, is the General Secretary of the Chhattisgarh unit of PUCL. Another among those raided, Father Stan Swamy is also associated with the PUCL. Gautam Navlakha, who had links with an ISI funded Kashmiri separatist, was associated with People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) for a long time as an activist, a fraternal organization of the PUCL.
Convicted for sedition and helping Naxalites to set up a network to fight the state of India, Binayak Sen was a Vice President of the PUCL even after his conviction by Raipur Sessions Court. The West Bengal unit of PUCL also published a book exonerating Sen of all his crimes and branded him a “victim of state atrocity”. Shoma Sen, one of those arrested in June, is an executive member of CPDR, another fraternal organization of the PUCL. Anand Teltumbde, another of those raided by Pune Police, is the General Secretary of CPDR. The CDRO also has links with the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP) through its constituent organizations. The CRPP was branded a Maoist front organization by the UPA government in 2011.
The Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) that published the report demonizing the Amarnath Yatra in collaboration with Equations, an organization that receives funding from Christian Organizations is also affiliated to the CDRO.
Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA)
Another organization that is part of the steering committee of RCF is the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA). As per its ‘About Us‘ section, the JSA was formed in 2001 with the coming together of 18 national networks. Organizations such as the Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI), Christian Medical Association of India (CMAI) and National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) are part of its National Coordination Committee.
The Spider’s Web
Bread for the World and Misereor, two Christian organizations, donated huge sums of money to Equations, the organization that published the report demonizing the Amarnath Yatra. Equations collaborated with JKCCS, an organization that is affiliated to the CDRO, an umbrella organization whose constituent members have intimate links to ‘Urban Naxals’. The two Christian organizations also donated huge sums of money to HRLN, an organization that is part of the steering committee of the RFC along with the PUCL.
This is the second instance of collaboration that has come to our notice between an organization that receives funds from the above mentioned Christian organizations and organizations that have intimate links to ‘Urban Naxals’ and separatists.
Besides these two instances, Sherpa, the French NGO that filed a complaint against the Rafale Deal there is partners with Misereor among other organizations such as George Soros’ Open Society.
Conclusion
The demand to terminate Akshaya Patra’s contract has been made by the Right to Food Campaign which represents a very specific section of ‘Civil Society’. This section receives funding from Christian organizations abroad, from George Soros’ Open Society Institute which has a very controversial record and has intimate links to ‘Urban Naxals’ and separatists.
An organization in the steering group of RFC receives huge funds from the same organizations that donated huge sums of money to another organization that published a report demonizing the Amarnath Yatra. Under such circumstances. the attack on Akshaya Patra appears to be part of the nefarious agenda of these ‘civil society’ organizations.
