Home ministry singles out anti-BJP NGOs

Home ministry singles out anti-BJP NGOs
By Rezaul H. Laskar
New Delhi: The Union home ministry has directed several prominent non-governmental organisations,
which have publicly criticised the Sangh Parivar and the BJP-led government’s policies, to show cause as
to why action should not be taken against them for engaging in "political" activities.
Prominent among the groups which have received the showcause notice are Voluntary Action Network
India, Indian Social Institute, Kali for Women and Centre for Women’s Development Studies. The NGOs
connected with Communalism Combat, a Mumbai-based magazine which ran a high-profile national
advertisement campaign against the Sangh Parivar’s ideology, also received the showcause notice.
The notice was issued to the NGOs on September 27 by Mr Sanjiv Dutta, director (FCRA) in the foreigners
division of the Union home ministry, accusing them of violating provisions of the Foreign Contribution
(Regulation) Act by associating "with the release of certain advertisements in the press and with certain
documents the contents of which are in the nature of comments of a political nature" in the "run up to the
ongoing general elections."
The Union home ministry notice has directed the NGOs to show cause within 30 days as to why they
should not be notified as "political" organisations, and why action should not be taken against them for
accepting foreign contributions without the Centre’s permission. Only those NGOs registered with the
home ministry are allowed to accept foreign contributions "to further any cultural, economic, educational,
religious or social programme." Section 5(1) of the FCRA prohibits all organisations of a political nature
from accepting foreign contributions without the Centre’s prior permission.
Mr Dutta refused to comment on the matter, when contacted by The Asian Age. Dr Ambrose Pinto,
executive director of the Indian Social Institute, said the showcause notice was nothing but "a form of
harassment." Dr Pinto had served as the convenor of a group of prominent
NGO activists that issued a "People’s Agenda" for the elections which was very critical of the Sangh
Parivar. "The ISI has criticised things which aren’t in consonance with the Constitution, and it has
opposed human rights violations. It has never taken a partisan stand," he said.
Mr Anil Singh, executive secretary of Voluntary Action Network India, said the notice was aimed at
suppressing a campaign launched by his group to ensure transparency in foreign funding. "All those who
do not fall in line with the establishment are being targeted. One of the demands of our transparency
campaign is the scrapping of the FCRA. The political leadership is not in favour of secular voluntary
organisations, it only approves of organisations like the RSS," said Mr Singh.
Communalism Combat, in its response to the BJP’s allegations that it had used foreign funding for its
advertisement campaign, had accused the Sangh Parivar of trying "to browbeat organisations and
individuals who have exposed the real character of the BJP."