Gurgaon based Hemkunt Foundation has been in news for all the right reasons in the past six months. From putting up the biggest tent cities at borders for farmers to providing oxygen to gasping Delhi during the second wave of pandemic. Hemkunt Foundation has worked very hard by putting up many oxygen facilities in Delhi when the requirement was very high. The foundation saved many lives during the critical period by providing free oxygen and other facilities like ventilators.
Hemkunt Foundation’s work has been acknowledged by all the organisations and many state governments. State of Uttarakhand trusted Hemkunt foundation to carry out Covid related relief work in the state. Foundation’s community director Harteerath Singh has been leading organisation all the way to help people. Harteerath and the foundation’s work has been acknowledged by Forbes, Time and many other international magazines as well. The organisation receives its donations from all sections of society. Many celebrities have donated to the foundation and have also recommended foundation because of its marvellous on ground work.
Harteerath singh shared a video Tweet where he talks about how it’s facility in Gurgaon was ransacked by goons. Harteerath in his interview with NDTv has said that he feels threatened and has not stepped out on ground. So who are these people and who can possibly have problem with a humanitarian organisation working for people in pandemic.
First of all this is not something new for the organisations led by minorities. Khalsa Aid has faced the allegations of being a separatist organisation by many media houses in India. The anger against Hemkunt Foundation was first seen when Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma donated to the organisation. Indian Right wing quickly jumped in and alleged that Hemkunt foundation is supporting the farmers protest and hence is anti national. So the problem is not with the organisation, the problem is with the intent of Indian Right wing. The slander and dehumanisation of people who dissent or support dissent is at play yet again in second wave of slander of Hemkunt Foundation.
In my conversation with Harteerath singh, he told me that the whole issue is politically motivated due to their relief work for the farmers. There are people in the JJP who are close to the owner of land that Hemkunt has used for its centre. This person Gujjar has leased the land to Rama Tents. Hemkunt has entered an agreement with Rama Tents for ‘Temporary Covid Transit Facility’
The goons in their SUV’s ransacked the facility and threatened the volunteers as well as Harteerath singh of dire consequences. After this attack on ground, the right wing accounts on twitter and social media have started a defamation campaign against Hemkunt Foundation.
All the allegations made in this Twitter Thread are either baseless or out of pure hate for organisation and its work for farmers. Now Let us understand each point in detail here. The allegation that there are no patients here is baseless because the facility was not supposed to be a hospital. It was supposed to be a transit Covid care facility to bridge gap between hospital and home of patient. With decreasing cases of Covid overall in the country, the patient number decreased automatically.
Strong food is no crime, there is no mention of anything like that in the agreement. The organisation is serving food packets in 12 states through sister organisations or the organisations of the states. Food packets move to the states everyday. As such there was storage of food at the facility.
The allegation that organisation has luxury vehicles with MH numbers is baseless as well because the manufacturers have lent the vehicles for humanitarian work. This is all documented by the org. Mahindra and Mercedes have lent their vehicles that are in use for food transport. The cars were arranged by intervention of Sikh Chamber of commerce
There has never been any complaints by the SDM or any policeman. SDM has visited the site many times and has never complained to Hemkunt Foundation.
It is really unfortunate that in the times of pandemic and crisis an organisation is targeted specifically because it helped farmers. This is no time for politics. We all stand tall with Hamkunt Foundation and are grateful for its hardwork and help in the pandemic as well as farmers protest.
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