“I forgot.”
That is the explanation that the church and equality minister, Manu Sareen (Radikale), gave for why he was tardy with giving an Indian orphanage the three kroner per book donation he promised from sales of his children's book 'Iqbal Farooq and Crown Jewels' ('Iqbal Farooq og Kronjuvelerne').
In 2007, Sareen agreed to donate a percentage of his book sales to impoverished Indian children. Sales figures indicate that the book has sold nearly 8,000 copies and that the kids should have received over 23,000 kroner. Until the case came to light just before Easter, only 2,000 kroner had made its way to the orphanage’s coffers.
In a statement on his Facebook page, Sareen says he regrets taking so long to send the rest of the money. He also points out that he gave 4,000 kroner to his father when he was travelling to India and that his father used that money to purchase blankets for India’s poor.
Sareen said he now regrets that decision.
“It was a mistake to give the 4,000 kroner to the poor in India, and not specifically to the orphanage,” he said.
Sareen claims that switching publishers and editors several times contributed to him losing track of what he owed the children. He says he has now made good on his promise.
“My publisher says that the book has sold 7,831 copies,” he said. “A donation equivalent to that amount of sales was transferred to the orphanage before Easter.”
Sareen says he hopes that everyone who bought the book 'Iqbal Farooq and Crown Jewels' is now satisfied, and that he hopes the money is put to good use in India.
