Edhi Foundation turns down PM's 1 crore grant

Pakistan's Edhi Foundation on Tuesday turned downed the donation of Rs. one crore announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking care of Geeta and urged him to allocate the donation for welfare of hearing and speech impaired in India.

"Edhi Foundation refuses to accept the money donated by the Prime Minister as a matter of policy. It does not accept any aid from governments and donor agencies," Faisal Edhi, Trustee of the Edhi Foundation told ANI on phone.

"The foundation urges the Prime Minister to allocate the donated money for the welfare of hearing and speech impaired community in India," he added.

Expressing gratitude towards the Pakistan-based Edhi Foundation for taking care of deaf and mute girl Geeta, Prime Minister had yesterday announced a Rs. one crore donation for it.

What the Edhi family has done is too priceless to be measured but I am happy to announce a contribution of Rs. 1 crore to their foundation," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

"I don't think any amount of words are enough to thank the Edhi family for taking care of Geeta. They are apostles of kindness & compassion," the Prime Minster sated in another tweet.

Geeta had accidentally strayed into Pakistan at the age of 11 and was handed over to the Edhi Foundation by Police, who found her at Lahore railway station.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj thanked Edhi Foundation founders Abdul Sattar and Bilquis Edhi for taking care of Geeta and safeguarding her religion.

Edhi Foundation is a non-profit social welfare program in Pakistan, founded by Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1951. Edhi is the head of the organisation and his wife Bilquis, a nurse, oversees the maternity and adoption services of the foundation. Its headquarters are in Karachi, Pakistan.