REPLY TO THE ALLEGATIONS RAISED BY ANDAL DAMODARAN & PREDECESSOR Dear Readers, There are several cover stories published in Indian National Magazines, such as FRONTLINE and THE HINDU under the heading “ADOPTION MARKET” about the adoption scandals by Geeta Ramaswamy, Shalini Mishra, Vidhya Reddy and Andal Damodaran. It is alleged that the existing system of adoption procedure has allowed child trafficking to take place for years under the guise of a perfectly legal adoption process. It is further reported by Andal Damodaran & others say that PEACE Society, Coimbatore has created false sibling indulged in various unethical practices and creating false relinquishment deeds, further the report said that most agencies are run as a “family business” and been only on lucrative Inter-Country Adoption (ICA). What about Andala Damodaran her self! While she was a chair person of CARA simultaneously she held the General Secretary of Indian Council for Child Welfare and Founder member of VCA, both are responsible for realizing a child for free for adoption and submit a scrutiny report of recommendation to the Court to issue Guardianship orders. WHY? Because she sit at CARA as a chair person favors some foreign agencies who benefits financially so that she instruct VCA to declare child free for adoption and match a baby to foreign nationals than instruct ICCW to give favorable report to the court to grant the guardianship orders. With a vested interest she held all these posts and now she was ousted out from CARA pointing out at PRACE and other agencies. Truth is bitter digest. But all truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed, second it’s violently opposed and third it is accepted as being self – evident. Why blame the system, courts, orphanages, government and foreign agencies? Adoption is the birth right of an orphan child and institutionalization is the last resort for the child. Licensing formalities in India for in country and inter country go through process of refinery and most stringent ways. There are a great deal of requirements to be complied and a volume of paper work to be done. A thorough investigation and inspection of every record, books of accounts stipulations on child admission, child care management, relinquishment deed and many more are routine procedures, inspected by the State Government officials prior to grant a license. The state Government officials form Social Welfare Department and director of Social Defense and highly honored and wildly appreciated by NGO’s for their selfless services in monitor the NGO’s and extent their generous and timely help to save unfortunate child. Adoption procedures are highly monitored by state Government, District Social Welfare Board, Child Welfare Committee and the Family courts. Why bicker on such judicial bodies. I realize that a dignified silence is not adequate in this hour of crisis, when the reputation of the individuals and genuineness of the institution are under malicious attach by so called social workers and anti adoptniois who do not think any further than six inches form their sight for their personal benefits and vested interest. I have decided to break the vow of silence and answer the truthful activities of PEACE Society, and bring Damodaran false allegations, unethical and untruthful statements to light. Her intentions and thoughts are malicious, prejudice and vested in personal interest and glory. As we all know that truth is the safest ground to stand on. PEACE Society performances in Social Services is not only in country adoptions it also extends counseling, sponsorship, and even assisted in recent Tsunami areas by providing, mid day meals, school uniform and for many fisherman, fishing nets to work and earn their living. What was Damodaran done to these people? Did she ever spend even a rupee from her pocket to buy a packet of peanuts to those children stuck with Tsunami? I don’t think so. PEACE Society was thoroughly inspected and certified by the Register of the Societies as a bona fide full-fledged organizations, where registration and certified by the Register of the Societies as a bona fide full-fledged organization, where registration is in accordance to the registration act of 1975. Child Welfare Committee a judicial body form the Director of Social Defense, Tamilnadu Government has inspected and upon satisfaction issued a fit institution certificate, the Department of Social Welfare Government of Tamilnadu inspected and upon satisfaction issued an in country license to adoption, CARA upon satisfying issued an inter country license to do international adoptions. Now Damodaran goes on to say that all these recommendations are wrong? While Damodaran was a chairperson of CARA, she was simultaneously General Secretary of Indian council for child welfare at Chennai (ICCW), and also a member of VCA at Chennai (which are founder by her). This is highly objectionable and contradictory to CARA guidelines yet she some how manipulated this and when some NGO objected to this, she destroyed them. Some evil people want to monopolize the adoptions in India, extracts financial gains from adoptive parents and other countries such as US, Europe, Scandinavian and when innocent orphanages and individuals refuse to bribe them they plot a conspiracy to destroy. This is what exactly happened to PEACE and Dr.Rao. None of these evil and coward people who post false allegations on the internet and news carried, hugged kissed or changed a diaper of an orphan child or contributed a single rupee or a dollar to the betterment of orphan of children but they pose to be a renowned social workers who get grants form the government and pocket illegally. PEACE Society objected to the monopoly of the VCA at Chennai and refused to follow their dictatorial orders that are contrary to the CARA guidelines, and became a member of a newly formed VCA at Coimbatore. This was the beginning of the conspiracy to topple PEACE. This irritated and annoyed Damodaran. Her allied member’s monopoly and their dictatorship were shattered in Tamil Nadu and therefore she tried with all her malicious intentions to destroy the agency by bringing false allegations, baseless accusations as a chairperson of CARA. When all her tricks didn’t succeed she became a roaring lioness ready to devour the agency and its officials. She failed to know she is just an ordinary woman like any other NGO’s PEACE Society, in Coimbatore is the best agency in the state, and the state Officials appreciated the way records are maintained, and the care and felicities provided. Families for Children in Coimbatore founded by, built and financed by a Canadian women and till today she funds all salaries and daily maintenances to this agency and conducts all adoption affairs from Montreal as a founder member. This agency is very near and dear to Damodaran. Many of PEACE Society social workers were ill treated by Mrs. Andal Damodaran & others when attended ACA meetings and consequently they resigned the job. Following is the resignation letter of our social workers: 1. N. Shankugha Vadivu MSW In my Chennai trip I saw Mrs. Rosemary, Scrutiny Officer, Ms. Andal Damodaran & Gandhi Nathan. Ms. Rosemary asked me about Jayashankar, who took baby through VCA. She told me that Jayashankar family is wiling to go Consumer court. And she asked about twin babies in PEACE HOME what is our plan about twin babies? There are so many problems in PEACE HOME. “Do you know about its Inter-Country License” etc. is at Stake. PEACE is involved in corruption and facing a CBI investigation. Do you want to be in Jail-they have threatened me and since officers and experienced people like above telling like that. I feel something in surely wrong with PEACE so I do not want to get in to any problems. So I am rendering my resignation. Mrs. V. Priya MSW I attended the VCA Annual General Body meeting on 20.09.2004. After the meeting Mrs. Ananthalakshmi Honorary Treasurer spoke to me in person. She said, “PEACE SOCIETY is not working according the ethics of adoption and it will affect the future of the children. Why are you placing twin children outside India? We can refer families to you. You are not following the proper procedure in adoption. You are new to this field so as a social worker you have to follow the ethics and we are here to see that you following proper procedure. You are a new social worker and you might not be acquainted with the procedure. New PEACE involved in malpractices and child trafficking business. There is a CBI investigation going on its better you do not get into legal problem as a Social Worker. Her allegations created an ambiguity in my mind whether I should continue my job. When I returned and verified the files and found no malpractices. But even though all the records and accounts are accurately maintained I do not want to get into legal investigation since I have long way to go in my earlier. So I am resigning from my job. VCA at Chennai has written a letter on 06.05.2004 to The Director of Social Welfare, Chepauk, Chennai to derecognize PEACE Society. Mrs. Andal Damodaran has written a letter to State Government to de-recognize on the ground that “It is negotiable that when Tmt. Andal Damodaran was in Chairman Post of CARA the Certificate of the Recognition (Central Adoption Resource Agency, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, New Delhi) issued in Registration. No. 104/2003 Dated. 19-6-2003 for the period from 19-6-2003 to 18-6-2004 and Inter Country adoption Certificate issued by her”. There was only one VCA in the whole of Tamil Nadu, when a new VCA was recommended by the state Government Mrs. Andal Damodaran has blocked the formation of the new VCA because she would lose her monopoly if a new VCA is permitte. Here is a naked proof from CARA Central Adoptiions Resource Authority an autonomous body under the Central Government of Ministry of Women and Child of India, given a clean sheet that either PEACE or Dr. Rao are involved in any malpractice or its licens revoked or cancelled. Please do not believe Andal Damodaran or her alies allegations. They are frustrated nad vanity women who do not think anything good than to do bad to others who do good. Mother Theressa Charitable Trust under RTI regulation wrote a letter to CARA to clarify the allegations raised by Andal Damodaran are genuine or false. The reply from CARA is below. In public interest the Mother Thressa Charitable Trust Secretary requested the following questions need to be answered. 1. Whether CARA has any report or complaint against PEACE Society about it’s involvement in CHILD TRAFFICKING? 2. Whether CARA suspended at any time the Inter Country license issued to PEACE Society? 3. Whether PEACE has involved in any other malpractice that has come to CARA’s observation? 4. Whether CARA has taken any action against PEACE Society to revoke it’s Inter Country license? 5. Whether at present Inter Country license is in force for PEACE? 6. Whether Dr. Epuri Raman the founder and the Treasurer of PEACE whose involvement in PEACE ha damaged the reputation of PEACE Society? 7. Whether has known of any malpractices of Dr. Eputi Raman Rao in PEACE Society or any other organization? CARA in its reply dated 27/04/2010 has given the following information: Whether CARA has any report or complaint against peace society about its involvement in Child Trafficking? Ans: No Report has been received. Whether CARA has suspended at any time the inter country license issued to peace society? Ans: No. Whether PEACE society has involved in any other malpractice that has come to CARA’S observation? Ans: Procedural lapses were observed in some adoption cases during inspection done in the year 02.07.2004. Whether CARA has taken any action against PEACE Society to revoke it’s inter country license? Ans: No Whether at present inter country License is in force for PEACE? Ans: Yes. Whether Dr.Epuri Ramana Rao, the Founder and Treasurer of PEACE Society who’s involvement in PEACE Society have damaged the reputation of the PEACE society? Ans: CARA does not have information in this regard. Whether CARA has known about any malpractices of Dr. Epuri Ramana Rao in PEACE society or in other organization? Ans: No such intimation has come to the knowledge of CARA When Andala Damodaran was a CARA Chair person, she exercised all her powers in the absence of the CARA secretary formed a group of her own people “birds of same feathers flock to gather” and favored some orphanages in India and foreign agencies for both financial benefits and popularity to sustain her lively hood even after retirement. (even now she enjoys those benefits). Any RIPA or Indian orphanages opposed or exposed her, monopoly, she deliberately de-recognized them or wrote letters to concerned government authorities to de-recognize by brining false and baseless allegations. There are many RIPA’s (Orphanages) in India were targeted by her and even today they (orphanages) suffer a great loss. Leave alone all India, in her own State Tamilnadu there are about 45 orphanages both in country and Inter Country licensed are targeted by her and they all want to voice with PEACE to legal action against her for destroying future and creating false allegation against them. Not a single NGO likes her in whole of India. Another quality of Anandala Damodaran is that she goes to every government, judicial and non judicial authorities tells All bad about the agencies and orphanages (NGO’s) who do not agree to her and write letters to black list them. Thus she attracts and procures tens and thousands of dollars projects for her own personal benefit and glory. Hence from CARA’s reply it is very obvious that PEACE Society or Dr. Epuri Raman Rao, Founder and Treasurer of PEACE Society have not committed any irregularity in the adoption process. I request the above information to be read by the readers about the clear record of the PEACE Society, Coimbatore and Dr. Epuri Raman Rao, Founder and Treasurer of PEACE Society. It will also highlight the truth about the allegations made by Andal Damodaran and others and definitely one day or other Mrs. Andal Damodaran has to face legal action by PEACE Society and Dr. Epuri Raman Rao for alleged untrue charges against PEACE Society. Yours Sincerely James Mother Theresa Charitable Trust
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