Navin Chawla: Our commitment to these causes is unchanged

New Delhi: Setting out the details of the two trusts that received MPLADS funds, Mr. Navin Chawla, Election Commissioner, pointed out that, in a letter of February 13, 2003, in response to a request, Sahib Singh Verma, the Union Minister of Labour in the Vajpayee Government and BJP M.P., offered Rs 5 lakh from his MPLADS fund. However, this "generous contribution" could not be accepted as Mr. Verma was not the area M.P. Mr. Chawla categorically affirmed that "there has been no conflict of interest whatsoever in my discharge of constitutional responsibilities since I took over as Election Commissioner." He also offered the assurance that "I have not allowed and will not allow anything to come in the way of the discharge of my constitutional responsibilities."

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mr. Chawla said:

"The genesis of the Lala Chaman Lal Educational Trust for Boys & Smt. Bhagwan Devi Educational Trust for Girls, Registered Charitable Trust (Registration No.36961 of 2000 and hereinafter referred to as Trust) set up from family funds arose out of the Will of my late uncle Lt. Commander Dina Nath Chawla, who died in 1987 and left a Will for which the executors were my late father Dr. Satya Bratt, and I. After Dr. Satya Bratt's death, I became the sole executor of the Will of late Lt. Commander Dina Nath Chawla. The Will was probated by the Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, Delhi on 04.12.1993.

"In terms of the Will, I was instructed to set up the educational Trust in the name of his grandfather and grandmother to provide education equally for boys and girls. The late Lt. Commander Chawla left it to me to set up any kind of educational institution. This could have been a school or medical college or management or vocational college etc. Instead the Trustees decided that this behest should be spent to provide much needed vocational training to disabled youth and leprosy affected youth so that they could be equipped to find employment. The training would be free of charge.

"This Trust was set up as early as January, 1997 and for which all proper permissions were taken from Government in December, 1996.

"In my letter dated 02.08.2000 addressed to the Hon'ble Minister of Self Government, Rajasthan, purely because of the charitable nature of the Trust and the intent of the Trust to provide free training to the disabled, I requested that as per existing precedents and procedures of the Jaipur Development Authority for giving land in institutional areas at institutional rates of 10% or even free, which had been done in other cases, be applied in this case also.

Land purchase

"None of the Trustees have derived any financial benefit - neither salary nor any allowances from the Trust at any time.

"It may be mentioned that a sum of Rs.31.97 lakh on 04.11.2001 was paid from the Trust's funds for the purchase of the land and a sum of approximately Rs.31.51 lakh has so far been expended exclusively out of the Trust's funds drawn from the family behest for construction of the building. The building is yet to be completed. No other individual except the two MPs mentioned below have contributed to the funding of this building.

"It was on 20.07.2002 Shri A.A. Khan, then Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha offered Rs.10 lakh from MPLADS fund for the Trust. Due permission was sought and was taken from the Department of Personnel on 17.09.2002. Thereafter, Shri R.P. Goenka, M.P. also gave Rs.10 lakh and Rs.5 lakh from his MPLADS fund to the Trust. Once again Department of Personnel's permission was sought to obtain these funds and the same was duly granted in 2004.

"Till the date that I was appointed as Election Commissioner on 16.05.2005, I was governed by the All India Service Conduct Rules, to which I abided in letter and spirit. Since my appointment as Election Commissioner, no political functionary or any other individual has contributed to this Trust or to The Lepra India Trust of which my wife Mrs. Rupika Chawla is Chairperson.

"My commitment and the commitment of my family members to the cause of disability and the plight of the leprosy affected are unchanged. After being appointed Election Commissioner, I have discussed with the Missionaries of Charity sisters in Jaipur, Delhi, and Kolkata whether they would wish to use the premises where the buildings are ready. The dialogue with the Missionaries of Charity is continuing. I have also spoken to Shri D.R. Mehta, founder of the Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahita Samiti, Jaipur and of the Jaipur Foot, and Smt. Deepak Kalra who runs an institution for mental disability to seek their involvement.

Vijai Kapoor's help

"The Lepra India Trust, a Registered Charitable Trust (Registration No.34429 of 1999) was set up in August, 1996 in Delhi. My wife Smt. Rupika Chawla is its Chairperson and I am not a trustee or office bearer of this Trust. The land for this Trust was purchased from the Delhi Development Authority at prevailing institutional rates funded entirely out of my book royalties on my books on Mother Teresa. This was done after the then Lt. Governor of Delhi, Shri Vijai Kapoor was met. But for Mr. Kapoor's unstinting help for a good cause, the land may not have been made available for the cause of leprosy.

"From my book's royalties alone a sum of Rs.34.23 lakh was paid to the DDA on 22.02.2000. The construction of the building was also supported by the funds from three Members of Parliament, namely Dr. A.R. Kidwai, Dr. Karan Singh, and Smt. Ambika Soni. Shri Sahib Singh Verma, then Union Minister of Labour in his letter of Feb. 13, 2003 also offered Rs.5 lakh from his MPLADS fund and wrote accordingly to the Commissioner, MCD. However, as he was not the area M.P., his generous contribution could not be accepted. The area M.P. was also approached, but he felt unable to help.

"Many other well wishers of the Trust and friends also responded to the Trustee's appeal at different intervals to help the cause of assisting the children of leprosy patients and disabled youth to be trained in different vocations so that they could be enabled to have a fair chance of employment. The building completion certificate has only just been received. The Delhi Branch of Missionaries of Charity was approached some months ago to see if they would like to take over this building as well, so that they could carry out their activities from this building.

"The inspiration behind The Lepra India Trust for the training of youth suffering from leprosy and the plight of the disabled emanated from the commitment of my family to Mother Teresa, with whom it has had a 23 year long association. As a donor, I had informed her in her lifetime itself that all my royalties would be devoted to leprosy and disability issues. It is, therefore, only fitting that once the building is ready, the Trustees have offered the Missionaries of Charity the building to put it to appropriate uses. Their response is awaited.

"The Trustees have also been in touch with Ms. Surrender Saini of the All India Federation of the Deaf, the Ability Foundation of Chennai and Shri Dilip Shankar of the Centre for Creative Expression and have also offered them the space free of any charge. Discussions with them are continuing and the Chennai based Ability Foundation that works with the hearing impaired and visually impaired are to let the Trustees know of their final decision.

"I have to categorically state that there has been no conflict of interests whatsoever in my discharge of Constitutional responsibilities since I took over as Election Commissioner. I fully understand my Constitutional responsibilities and I would like to assure one and all that I have not allowed and will not allow anything to come in the way of the discharge of my Constitutional responsibilities."

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