Ministry of Home Affairs has started an investigation against the NGOs run by All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief and Lok Sabha MP Badruddin Ajmal for misusing foreign funds and receiving funds from an organization with links with a terror organization. The investigation is based on the report submitted by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
We found discrepancies in children’s record, they weren’t given entitlements & given corporal punishment.We’ve submitted report to state govt & recommended registration of FIR against unregistered homes. We’ve urged govt to involve specialised agencies for probe:Chairperson NCPCR https://t.co/zu6BHY4zvY
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2020
In its report, NCPCR said that it had found fund misuse by the childcare institutions in Manipur and Assam that are running under the name of Markazul Maarif. The organization had received crores of foreign funds from international organizations that have links with terror organizations, including Al-Qaeda. Priyank Kanoongo, Chairperson NCPCR had urged the government to involve specialised agencies for the probe.
300 children missing from childcare homes
During its investigation, NCPCR reportedly found out that around 300 children were missing from the childcare homes. The inspections were done in six childcare institutes in Dhubri, Goalpara, Hojai, Nagaon districts in Assam and Thoubal district in Manipur Between December 14 and December 18. As per the records of Markazul Maarif, there must be 1,080 children in the childcare homes, but the agency could only find 778 during the inspection.
NCPCR found that Markazul Maarif had received funds from a Turkey-based organization IHH that allegedly has links with Al-Qaeda that raised the alarm. While NCPCR was investigating the case, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Ministry of Home Affairs had started a separate investigation against two NGOs of Ajmal.
He said, “They (MHA) have started a probe into the funds came from China and other Islamic foundations and all things. We will get to know the results of the probe. The orphan homes which are running by them, the list which they had sent to Turkey, all things have now come to light during the NCPCR probe. I think that some kinds of more dangerous facts will become to light in the next two-three months or later and we will come to know it.”
Markazul Maarif denied the allegation
Markazul Maarif has denied the allegations made by NCPCR. Khalilur Rahman Laskar, Markazul Maarif general secretary, said that they were not informed about the inspection. He said, “We have received two letters from the district officer of Goalpara and Dhubri district and given us some recommendations and said that, there are some drawbacks and we have needed to improve it. It is completely wrong information that, 300 children are missing. There are vast difference between the districts officer letters and statement of the NCPCR.”
He further added that 179 children have left the homes and not 300. According to him, some dropped out, and some were taken away by their parents. “As of now, we have the data of 901 children and they are living in the homes,” Laskar added.
The case against Badruddin Ajmal’s Markazul Maarif
NCPCR initiated an investigation based on the complaint filed by Legal Rights Observatory (LRO). In its complaint, LRO said that Ajmal’s foundation is in gross violation of FCRA rules. It also alleged that Ajmal Foundation is linked to Al Imdaad Foundation that is allegedly linked to various foreign-based terror organizations.
Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered against Ajmal Foundation. Refuting the allegations, Badruddin Ajmal had threatened to sue LRO over allegedly baseless allegations. On December 26, NCPCR submitted a report to MHA in which it stated that Ajmal Foundation had received foreign funds from terror-linked organizations. NCPCR also alleged mistreatment of children in childcare homes run by the MP’s foundation.
