The Modi government has barred 156 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) from receiving foreign funds for a period of 180 days for failing to open bank accounts in any of the 32 banks integrated with the Public Financial Management System (PMFS) according to the FCRA website.
The order, published in the FCRA website maintained by the Home Ministry. states, “It has been observed that the said associations have not yet opened their bank account(s) as mandated under section 17 of the FCRA, 2010 in PFMS-integrated banks and have contravened the provisions of the FCRA, 2010 by not complying with the directions of the Central Government.”
The order further states that show cause notices were served to the barred NGOs to which they failed to reply. It further mentions that their licenses could be cancelled as per section 14(1)(d) of the FCRA, 2010. The order states further, “It may be assured that FC receiving/utilization accounts of the respective Association are frozen immediately and no transaction may be allowed without Prior Permission of this Ministry.”
The list of associations provided in the order mentions the name of quite a few Christian and Islamic organizations although the majority, on the face of it, appear to be for ‘secular purposes’. A few Hindu NGOs have also been mentioned in the list. St. Mary’s Convent, Ansarul Islam Charitable Trust, Christ Church Hostel Unit -2, Sri Aurobindo Anusilan Society, Sister Nivedita Memorial Trust, Shree Gurdev Avadhut Ashram, Creative Social Educational & Economical Development Society, The Ideal Mothers Association, Millat Education Society, Pragati Foundation, Society For Litigation Awareness And Aid For The Public (slaap), Universal Caring Mission (UNICAM), Alliancae Francaise De Bombay, Islampur Jamia Anwarul Uloom Markaz, ST. ANTHONY S EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY, Mother Theressa Weaker Section Development Welfare Society are some of the NGOs who have been barred from receiving foreign funds for 180 days.
Earlier in November, the Central Government had served a show cause notice to over 1700 NGOs for failing to file their annual returns between 2011-12 to 2017-17. NGOs registered under the FCRA have to file their annual returns within 9 months of the end of the fiscal year. Again, a very significant number of Christian organizations, some of them missionary, found their names on the list. Quite a few Islamic organizations were mentioned as well. In certain cases, where the names of the NGO suggested it was secular in nature, the chief functionary often belonged to minority communities.
St. Mathews Convent, World Evangelistic Outreach Of India Charitable Trust, St Paul Minor Seminary, The Indian Pentacostal Community Church of God, Christian Dalit Libration
Movement, St. Josephs Vocational & Industrial Society, PHOM BAPTIST CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, Methodist Girls Hostel, St. Andrew’s Educational Foundation, Fertilizer Refinery Area Method Church, Carmelite Monastery, Ebenzer Home Of Social Outreaches, Apostolic Christian Evangelistic Assn., Himalayan Crusade were some of the Christian NGOs which were mentioned.
Some of the Islamic NGOs that featured in the list were Al-mu-assasthul Islamiya Trust, Hayya Alal Falah Society, Bashinul Hoda Islahul Muslemin Welfare Society, Islamic Educational & Welfare Trust, Jamia Fazia Haqqania Shershahi Society, Muslim Educational Trust, Noorul Uloom Educational Society, Allama Fazl-e-haq Khairabadi Educational Society, Madrasa Arabia Islamiya, Rehmat E Alam Hospital Trust Anantanag, Muassasatul Bahsi Qattalim Al-Islami.
Apart from these, there were many NGOs in the list that focused on Dalits and other marginalized sections of society such as the ‘Dalit Christian Society’. There were Hindu NGOs mentioned as well but they were extremely few compared to the minority NGOs.
