All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) from Dhubri in Assam, came in for a rude shock on December 4, when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Satya Ranjan Bohra filed a First Information Report (FIR) against his charity Ajmal Foundation, accusing it of getting foreign funding from terror groups.
The Telegraph reported that the FIR was filed under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 1204A (sedition) and 420 (cheating) read with Section 13 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Ajmal has, however, denied all charges. Speaking to media persons on December 5, Ajmal said, “I have always kept my life as a politician and as a philanthropist separate. I have maintained a clear demarcation in events that I attend in different capacities. I am not afraid and we are ready to face any challenge.”
Ajmal also clarified, “NGOs from which Ajmal Foundation received funds faced no objection in the country in which they operate, including UK and other European Countries. Those NGOs are clean and there is no proof of their involvement in any illegal activities.”
Bohra’s FIR came in wake of a series of tweets by a group called Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) that by its own admission engages in “Legal Activism to safeguard Indian interest, Human Rights of armed forces n Hindu cause.”
The LRO started tweeting against Ajmal Foundation on December 2, accusing it of not only receiving foreign funding from international NGOs with terror links, but also diverting the foreign funds for political purposes:
#FCRAViolation Ajmal Foundation of @BadruddinAjmal got Rs 69.55 Cr for educn, used only Rs 2.05 Cr for it, rest routed for #AIUDF, to counter @himantabiswa‘s #Hindutva juggernaut, #Turkish n UK terror grps funded it in crores! Wrote @HMOIndia for #FCRA cancellation. Details here+ pic.twitter.com/xqIbbhqb7V
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 3, 2020
Australian Parliament Standing Comm, “2nd Palestinian Intifada.”Al-Imdaad Foundation – a South African charity, British branch of which has previously partnered with Viva Palestina- pro-Hamas charity established by George Galloway n that included Hamas activists among its staff + pic.twitter.com/j93g6sSDSH
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 3, 2020
Turkey based Ajmal Donor- IHH- Insani Yardim Vakfi (Foundation for Human Rights & Freedoms n Humanitarian Relief) is flagged by many government agencies from across the world, think tanks and media houses for its direct links with #AlQaida terror group n Global Jihad Network++ pic.twitter.com/R1fEUuF0Be
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 3, 2020
Needless to say why Ajmal Foundation has spent just 2.5% of its foreign donations on actual cause of education (For which it received) n you would come to know where did rest money go!
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 3, 2020
On December 4, LRO made another series of allegations against Markazul Maarif, another charity run by Badruddin Ajmal. Once again, LRO accused the charity of receiving funds from foreign NGOs that are associated with terrorist groups.
#FCRAViolation Ajmal’s 2nd NGO Markazul Maarif got Rs 54.60 Cr from 5 ultra radical terrorist Islamist grps including Islamic Brotherhood’s arm Social Reform Society (SRS), Kuwait, all venomous anti India/ Hindu grps! Wrote @HMOIndia to cancel regtn. @himantabiswa details here++ pic.twitter.com/pgqMkVYNRA
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 5, 2020
Markazul Maarif is CSR arm of Ajmal Foundation of @BadruddinAjmal which got Rs 69.55 Cr which is accused of routing it for #AIUDF‘s political activities and funded by #Turkish n UK terror grps. We have already lodged complaint against it.. Here is Donor’s profile of Markaz++ pic.twitter.com/DKJQlWGeaZ
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 5, 2020
Donor No 2- Social Reform Society (SRS), Kuwait is direct offshoot of Kuwaiti Brotherhood having ties with prominent extremists, including notorious 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed n Tariq al-Suwaidan, listed by U.S. in 2007 as an unindicted co-conspirator in a U.S. ++ pic.twitter.com/T79BLBDf8P
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 5, 2020
Donor 04- Muslim Aid UK afiiliated to Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh! Bangladeshi war crimes tribunal sentenced to death in absentia to charity’s early leader, Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, for his role leading a JI killing squad that abducted and murdered 18 people in 1971 Liberation War++ pic.twitter.com/FsDItY8LwB
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 5, 2020
Donor 05- Ummah Welfare Trust (Ajmal Foundation donor) UK is accused of money laundering and terror financing. For which Gulf based newspaper Al Arabiya had reported, “The Ummah Welfare Trust, a UK-based, which has been designated as a terrorist entity by the US, in d past.”++ pic.twitter.com/LLirTF19gM
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 5, 2020
Also, all other Islamic foreign donors of Markazul Maarif need to be checked for their role, affiliations and stance vis-à-vis India to ascertain their motive behind donating exclusively a Muslim party.
With this We conclude that #FCRA grossly misused by Mr Ajmal!— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 5, 2020
Bohra has now also filed another FIR against Markazul Maarif.
Meanwhile, Ajmal feels he is being targeted for his growing proximity with the Congress Party in Assam. “A few days ago, I was seen shaking hands with a few Congress leaders. This NGO that is connected with the RSS started making allegations about me from the next day onwards,” said Ajmal. “I can account for every penny and release the break-up of all finances. As far as FCRA violation is concerned, we submit reports every three months to the Home Ministry,” he added.
The AIUDF has recently joined hands with the Congress to jointly fight the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections. Polling for the first phase covering 21 seats in Udalgiri and Baksa districts ended with a voter turnout of 75 percent. Polling will be held for 19 seats in Chirang and Kokrajhar on December 10. Polls were previously scheduled to take place in April, but put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Governor had taken over temporary charge after the BTC’s term ended.
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