“It has been stated: As per the deed, “the donee (Kumar) shall be absolute and exclusive owner of the said property.” The reporter has quoted para 8 of the deed, but added the word “Kumar” on his own. In the deed, nowhere the word “Kumar” has been written after the word donee. The addition of this word gives a false picture as if the property has been donated to Mr Anand Kumar and he has become its absolute owner.

“The very first para of the deed clearly states that the donor is Bahujan Samaj Party and the donee is Bahujan Prerna Trust, a registered charitable trust governed by the provisions of The Indian Trust Act. The Bahujan Prerna Trust is a legal entity, like the Bahujan Samaj Party, and it has now become the absolute owner of the property, not Mr Anand Kumar, who has only signed the gift deed as the authorised signatory of the trust and one of the trustees.

“It is unfortunate that without first understanding the correct position, a tainted story has been published, misleading crores of members of Bahujan Samaj Party. “You may be informed that the property was gifted by the Bahujan Samaj Party to the Bahujan Prerna Trust on the basis of a written resolution, dated 25.05.2007, passed unanimously by the National Executive of the Bahujan Samaj Party.

“(This) has misled crores of followers and members of Bahujan Samaj Party and the public at large, thereby causing immense damage to the reputation of the Bahujan Samaj Party and its national president Ms Mayawati.”

•The report mentioned that the property was donated by the Bahujan Samaj Party to the Bahujan Prerna Trust. Anand Kumar signed the gift deed as the authorised signatory of the trust. The word “Kumar” in brackets after “donee” was an editorial mistake since the “donee” is the trust and Kumar one of the trustees.

The error and any inconvenience to the BSP and its president Mayawati is deeply regretted. — Editor