I was speaking on the BBC recently about newspaper and fake news.
At a time when our faith in newspapers is shaken, let me write something no one is supposed to write – something in praise of a newspaper - this newspaper.
Recently I was at the birthday celebrations of the founder of this paper, CB Patel. Let me, as is befitting a birthday, give you an uplifting message about newspapers.
Seven years ago to the day you will read this paper (13th July) my grandmother, Sushilabhen R Patel, passed away. Well before I was born she knew the editor of this paper – and that was well before he was a newspaper owner. They lost contact. In 1994 when CB Patel was running a campaign to save the Hare Krishna Mandir, I wrote a letter and faxed it to the paper. CB (or Chandrakantbhai as I addressed him) read it, and called my home. My grandmother took the message and old acquaintances renewed their friendship.
She asked me, ‘people won’t laugh at what you’ve written will they?’ – so protective of me was she.
Over the years I have MC’d, compered, been auctioneer at probably 50 charity events. At virtually all of them CB has been present or the paper was represented and indeed in so many they were donors. My faith is restored because thanks to my grandmother I am where I am. My faith is restored because thanks to CB Patel, we as a community are where we are. I have seen this first hand.
For Akshaya Patra this paper promoted the big society event which raised over £50,000 from a room of just 70 people to feed children in over 25 schools for a whole year in India. CB Patel was there when I asked why it takes a few dozen Indians in Britain to feed the children of a billion Indians when India has a few dozen billionaires. That event restored my faith.
At an event a few years ago for Northwick Park’s Research Institute which raised funds for heart and stroke research; if you are an Indian in Britain you are 50% more likely to suffer a stroke and these people are researching how to reduce that likelihood. My faith was restored when I asked the audience ‘’why the native English are helping in research for our community?’ when both our communities raised thousands in an auction. This newspaper was there to cover it. The Attorney General saluted us.
Another for Akshaya Patra in the presence of Morari Bapu. We raised over £200,000 to feed children in over 100 schools in India. CB Patel and this paper were there again to donate, fund, cover.
My faith is restored that I can write about it, that newspapers do campaigns and these campaigns uplift us and deliver on the Big Society. This is a campaigning newspaper. A community newspaper. I am so proud to be permitted to write for it. And I know my grandmother was proud I did too.
