This meeting was held at Ram Mandir to re-unite the two HCUK’s which had split due to a dispute into one re-united HCUK, where Directors/Trustees from both sides and the general members were present. Both Chairs of the two HCUK’s presented themselves as Co-Chair’s of the reunited HCUK.
Shri Umesh Sharma JP, Co-Chair, recited a prayer and welcomed everyone at Ram Mandir of which he is the Chairman also. Umesh ji had worked behind the scenes to reunite both the HCUK’s over the last two years. He explained that Dr Rao had circulated a letter in January 2013 which he subsequently put on his hinducounciluk.net website alleging that Anil Bhanot had lied and was misleading the community. Anil Bhanot took exception to this and asked a full retraction and apology. Dr Rao refused and Anil Bhanot took legal action. After 3 years of legal correspondence Dr Rao has now issued a full unreserved apology and agreed that his apology letter should go on Hindu Council UK’s website, which is attached.
Umesh Sharma helped to negotiate the re-imbursement of Anil Bhanot’s lawyers’ costs of £41k in the sum of £25k which Dr Rao paid a cheque. Umesh Sharma said that in addition Dr Rao would have suffered his own legal fees of a similar amount. Umesh ji said that Anil Bhanot was generous in not seeking a full reimbursement of his costs and wanted to close this chapter after having had a full retraction of a false charge on him and an apology.
Umesh ji said that we are here to serve the Hindu community and we must remain united as one Hindu Council UK.
Shri Satya Minhas the other Co-Chair of the united HCUK echoed those sentiments and called out the names of Directors/Trustees as listed on the Charity website which now should be matched on the HCUK website. He said that new roles for the united HCUK can now be worked upon so that nobody feels left out of any work they wish to do, that there is too much work and we need more people to share the work load.
Everyone shared the work they had done over the last year with a positive note to continue as one united HCUK. The meeting closed with a prayer.
Click here to read Dr Rao’s apology letter.
Hindu Council UK