Foreign NGOs in India - Cause for concern

Galaxy

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Bishop's two NGOs received Rs. 54 crore, alleges Union Minister

TIRUNELVELI, February 6, 2012

Recent searches conducted by officials of Union Home Ministry on the premises of the Tuticorin Roman Catholic Bishop's official premises in the backdrop of the ongoing anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project protests have yielded information about the influx of foreign funds to the tune of Rs. 54 crore to two non-governmental organisations, Union Minister V. Narayanasamy has said.

"These two NGOs are being administered by RC Bishop of Tuticorin Diocese Rt. Rev. Yvon Ambroise," the Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office told reporters after a public meeting organised here on Saturday evening, demanding immediate commissioning of the nuclear power project.

He said that while the Bishop's two NGOs had received Rs. 54 crore, another NGO being run by anti-KKNPP struggle committee convener S.P. Udayakumar received foreign funds to the tune of Rs. 1.50 crore.

"If proper accounts are not maintained by the NGOs for the expenditure of this huge sum, the Union Home Ministry will initiate stringent action against the erring NGOs," Mr. Narayanasamy said.

Rejects charge

Rejecting Mr. Narayanasamy's allegation against him, Dr. Udayakumar said he was contemplating suing the Minister after obtaining formal sanction. He said he had, through the media, urged the Union Minister on several occasions ever since the charges were first levelled, to reveal the finer information, such as the name of the country and the agency from which his NGO had received funds and on which date the amount was transmitted. But the Union Minister was yet to provide any such information.

"I'm 52 now. All these years, I'm leading a decent life with the highest degree of integrity. Even to meet my personal expenses, I've pledged my wife's jewellery in a bank for about Rs. 6 lakh and have never handled such a huge sum of money (Rs. 1.50 crore) in my life as is being alleged by the Union Minister repeatedly. If Mr. Narayanasamy's charges against me are proved, I'm even prepared for capital punishment," Dr. Udayakumar told The Hindu .

Bishop of Tuticorin RC Diocese Rt. Rev. Yvon Ambroise was not immediately available for his comments.

The Hindu : Today's Paper News : Bishop's two NGOs received Rs. 54 crore, alleges Union Minister
 

KS

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I've been saying this from the very beginning.

.....That the protest in Kudankulam, unlike other protests in India, is not by political parties but by shady NGO's and missionary groups who are funded from abroad and who dont want development to come to that area. People who ask where the aid from Western countries go..here is your answer. Most of the aid from western countries go to these missionary organizations who then use it to indulge in all kinds of shady activities.

NGO s have mushroomed all across the country and many of them are actually overground fronts for underground organizations and the Govt must urgently enact a law to regulate the funding and activities of the NGOs.
 

amitkriit

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I've been saying this from the very beginning.

.....That the protest in Kudankulam, unlike other protests in India, is not by political parties but by shady NGO's and missionary groups who are funded from abroad and who dont want development to come to that area. People who ask where the aid from Western countries go..here is your answer. Most of the aid from western countries go to these missionary organizations who then use it to indulge in all kinds of shady activities.

NGO s have mushroomed all across the country and many of them are actually overground fronts for underground organizations and the Govt must urgently enact a law to regulate the funding and activities of the NGOs.
So the government was correct, US and UK are trying to put wedge in Indo-Russian relations. Thank god our government has still got guts to act in national interest.
 

KS

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So the government was correct, US and UK are trying to put wedge in Indo-Russian relations. Thank god our government has still got guts to act in national interest.
Dont count your chickens before they hatch...lets see what the Govt does.
 

Mr.Ryu

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NGO's in INDIA must be strictly watched expect for some handful most are just puppet of their relative masters. similar to NGO such as those run by Teesta Setalvad who have less than 10 true followers and pupet of cong and continue for more than 10yr's just trying to cook up evidence that was never available.
 

lemontree

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The key word used is allegation, alleges etc.....something that is yet to be proven.
The required documents have been submitted by the 3 NGOs so lets wait for the results.
 

parijataka

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This shows how the scams have increased in the rule of the congress.
Kapil Sibal blames Britishers for loot, Congress just followed the policy

New Delhi. Union Minister Kapil Sibal has blamed the British rulers of the pre-Independence era for the massive loot of country's wealth, which has resulted in unequal distribution of resources among the citizens of India. However, Sibal didn't categorically term this "loot" as any "crime" or "corruption" as the Supreme Court had not passed any explicit verdict condemning the loot, which has been going on ever since India got independence.

"We are just following the policy that was set up by our predecessors," Kapil Sibal defended the outlook of the governments after independence, most of which were formed by the Congress party.

When asked if the government didn't find the policy set by the British rulers unjust, Sibal almost blamed the founding fathers of the nation.

"We retained much of the British system of governance, including a substantial part of the constitution," Sibal pointed out.

"No, Jawaharlal Nehru can't be blamed for that," he clarified, giving clean chit to the first Prime Minister of India.

The Union Minister said that the government would stop following the British rulers' policies only if the Supreme Court passed an order declaring those policies unfair and flawed. In absence of any such ruling, the government will continue to follow the old policies, which many term as "loot".

"You may term it as loot, but this is just notional," Mr. Sibal said with a heavy tone and heavier eye-brow, "There is zero loss as the wealth is not going outside India, definitely not to England. Our Queen is no longer in London, but in Delhi."

"President Pratibha Patil! Not Sonia Gandhi," Sibal clarified to a question put by Faking News reporter.
 

KS

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The key word used is allegation, alleges etc.....something that is yet to be proven.
The required documents have been submitted by the 3 NGOs so lets wait for the results.
Its not allegation.

Anyone with a decent knowledge of the missionary activities in South TN will know its true.
 

The Messiah

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The chap is willing to put his life on the line...

lets see what the conclusion is.
 

sob

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These charges need to be investigated immediately. Another thing why does an NGO protesting against a Nuclear Power Plant getting so much money from abroad. The breakup and the source of funds also needs to be put in the public domain.

Few points need to be clairified:

1. Since when are the funds coming in.
2. what is the proportion of the foreign funding.
3. Which are the other NGOs which are receiving funds from these same organisations/individuals.

Based on these details we can arrive at some early conclusion.

BTW, is a Bishop allowed to run a NGO. Is there any conflict here, could somebody put some light on this.
 

bhramos

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Indian cos funding nuclear firms: NGO

New Delhi: A foreign NGO today claimed that more than 300 financial institutions, including some Indian firms, have exposure to 20 major nuclear weapons companies across the world and urged them to stop these investments.
The NGO, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), has also named Indian conglomerate Larsen and Toubro (L&T), which has done some work for Indian Navy and the missile system, in a report released today.

"L&T is involved in the design and construction of five nuclear-armed submarines for the Indian navy, each of which will be equipped with 12 missiles. The company has also tested a launch system for India's nuclear missiles," it said.

L&T is a leading private sector conglomerate and is engaged in engineering, construction, manufacturing and technology businesses across an array of sectors.

Indian cos funding nuclear firms: NGO

why the Fu)k US NGO's only concerned about Indian N-weapons and plants, why dont they raise their voice their own countries N-plans,,,
 

bhramos

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Stop funding nuke firms, NGO tells financial institutions | Firstpost

New Delhi: A foreign NGO today claimed that more than 300 financial institutions, including some Indian firms, have exposure to 20 major nuclear weapons companies across the world and urged them to stop these investments.

The NGO, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), has also named Indian conglomerate Larsen and Toubro (L&T), which has done some work for Indian Navy and the missile system, in a report released today.

An Indian Navy submarine. Image courtesy PIB
"L&T is involved in the design and construction of five nuclear-armed submarines for the Indian navy, each of which will be equipped with 12 missiles. The company has also tested a launch system for India's nuclear missiles," it said.

The Indian financial institutions named in the report are either the lenders or shareholders of Indian manufacturing giant L&T and some have participated in the past share or bond offerings of the company.

The report has listed names of Edelweiss Capital, Equirus Capital, General Insurance Corp, ICICI Bank, JM Financial, Kotak Mahindra Bank, L&T Employees Welfare Foundation, LIC, New India Assurance Co, Reliance Anil Ambani group, SBI, UTI Asset Management and Yes Bank for their exposure to L&T.

ICICI Bank has also been named for having a bond offering and loan related exposure to the US-based Boeing Co.

The report said that nuclear disarmament campaigners are appealing to financial institutions to stop investing in the nuclear arms industry.

"Any use of nuclear weapons would violate international law and have catastrophic humanitarian consequences. By investing in nuclear weapons producers, financial institutions are in effect facilitating the build-up of nuclear forces," ICAN campaigner and a co-author of the report Tim Wright said.

"Nuclear-armed nations spend in excess of USD 100 billion each year maintaining and modernizing their nuclear forces," ICAN said.

"Much of this work is carried out by corporations such as BAE Systems and Babcock International in the UK, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman in the US, Thales and Safran in France, and L&T in India.

Financial institutions invest in these companies by providing loans and purchasing shares and bonds," it added.

ICAN said that out of 322 such financial institutions, roughly half are based in the US and a third in Europe, while there are institutions from Asia, Australia and the Mid-East.

The institutions most heavily involved in financing nuclear arms makers include Bank of America, BlackRock and JP Morgan Chase in the US, BNP Paribas in France, Allianz and Deutsche Bank in Germany, Mistubishi UFJ Financial in Japan, Credit Suisse and UBS in Switzerland, and Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland in Britain.
 

nitesh

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Indian law on foreign funds to NGOs worries UN body

Indian law on foreign funds to NGOs worries UN body | Firstpost

In what is perhaps the first international reaction to the Indian government's heightened scrutiny of NGOs receiving foreign funds, the United Nations Special Rapporteur Margaret Sekaggya has in a report presented at the ongoing session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva expressed concern about the new regime introduced by Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010.

The more stringent FCRA, 2010, which replaced the FCRA of 1976, came into force on 1 May 2011.

In her report (presented on 5 March) on the situation of human rights defenders in India, Sekaggya has observed that some of the provisions of the new Act "may lead to abuse by the authorities when reviewing applications of organisations which were critical of authorities".

The statement by the Special Rapporteur gains significance, coming at a time when the Home Ministry has been turning up the heat on foreign-funded NGOs and the Prime Minister himself only a few weeks ago pointed fingers at US-based NGOs for fuelling the anti-nuclear protests at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.

Incidentally, among those who spoke at the session after the Special Rapporteur presented her report, was Henri Tiphagne, executive director of People's Watch, a Madurai-based human rights organisation, which was sent a notice by the FCRA wing of the Home Ministry in early February.

In his oral statement at the UN, Tiphagne raised the issue of government action on NGOs in Tamil Nadu.

"In recent weeks, NGOs in Tamil Nadu have been targeted on allegations of opposing the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, presenting an example of abuse of this law with any due process adhered to." Read full statement here.

Tiphagne, just back from Geneva and on a short visit to Delhi, spoke to Firstpost about the significance of the UN Special Rapporteur's statement.

"The effort here is to see that procedures that are put in place for the scrutiny of NGOs are transparent and accountable. It is not to say that government should not use FCRA. After all, when we are asking for accountability from the government, from the corporates, accountability of NGOs is also welcome.

"But take the example of the recent notices from the Home Ministry to NGOs in Tamil Nadu. They make no mention of Kudankulam, of diverting funds, of fuelling protests. By simply citing 'prejudicially affecting public interest', you are stopping funding. This amounts to gagging. The government has to show cause that the NGO is diverting funds or that answers provided by the NGOs are not satisfactory."

Tiphagne, an advocate, says that the FCRA has in the past been an Act that has not been properly implemented.

"That is the government's own fault. Now, this legislation which is supposed to improve standards of accounting is being used to clamp down on NGOs that are expressing dissent. And the government is trying to link that dissent with organisations that are receiving foreign funds. You are doing complete injustice to the poor with this of justification. To thwart dissent by saying it is being fuelled by another country is the wrong approach."

The government in its response to the Special Rapporteur's report, while conceding that some of the provisions of the public security laws and the FCR Act "may be abused by authorities involved, in the execution of such laws", has given assurance that "we are conscious of the need to ensure accountability of the law enforcement officials and have taken due note of her concerns".

The Special Rapporteur visited India in January last year, during which she met over 350 human rights groups, top bureaucrats and police officers, members of the human rights commissions, judges from the Delhi High Court, members of the diplomatic community and members of the UN agencies in Delhi, Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar.
 

Daredevil

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Finally a good move by the government. These foreign funded NGOs have been fishing in troubles waters and creating communal and social tensions in all parts of India to suit their western propaganda masters.
 

parijataka

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NGOs' foreign aid: Rs 31,000 crore in four years

NGOs recieving plenty of funds for development and other activities.

NGOs' foreign aid: Rs 31,000 crore in four years


NEW DELHI: Government said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that more than Rs 31,000 crore has been received as foreign contribution by 65,500 Indian NGOs between 2007 and 2010 even as a demand was raised by members in the Upper House that the Centre should put in place a strong surveillance network to monitor inflow of foreign funds to such organizations, besides creating a database in the interest of national security.

Responding to a question, MoS for home Mullappally Ramachandran said Rs 9914.19 crore foreign contribution was received by 21,365 NGOs in 2007-08, Rs 10987.05 crore by 22,544 NGOs in 2008-09 and Rs 10340.25 crore by 21,674 NGOs in 2009-10.

On whether such funds are being misused for opposing the setting up of the Kudankulam nuclear plant, the minister said that preliminary reports have suggested alleged misuse of foreign funds for opposing the setting up of the nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu, and probe has been ordered into it.

"There are intelligence inputs of some organizations diverting funds for purposes other than the permitted use of foreign funds. These matters are being investigated," he said in his written answer.

His statement came on the day when a Congress member B S Gnanadesikan raised the issue during Special Mention in the Upper House. He said, "Government should establish a data base of NGOs to whom foreign contribution is increasing day by day. There are reports that funds are being utilized to fuel unrest in government projects."

Seeking a strong surveillance system he said it was needed "in the interest of national security" as government records show that nearly 22,000 voluntary groups have received Rs 10,000 crore donations from abroad for social service in 2009-10.

Of these NGOs, a large number "belong to Tamil Nadu which together received Rs 1663.31 crore as contribution from abroad, mostly from the US, the UK, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands," he added.
 

Ray

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It is just that by having more incisive monitoring, foreign funds that are used to promote subversive interests or interests of the country/ organisation supplying the funds, would get exposed or eliminated/ reduced.

It is obvious that such Laws would hit the interest of the powers that be in the world from 'capturing' the mind of the donee to serve their (donor) country's/organisation's agenda.
 

Ray

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"That is the government's own fault. Now, this legislation which is supposed to improve standards of accounting is being used to clamp down on NGOs that are expressing dissent. And the government is trying to link that dissent with organisations that are receiving foreign funds. You are doing complete injustice to the poor with this of justification. To thwart dissent by saying it is being fuelled by another country is the wrong approach."
I find no problem if an NGO gets foreign funds and even dissents.

If the use of the foreign funds is legitimate, their books would indicate so.

Therefore, legit NGOs should have no fear.

However, those who are fronts or are promoting foreign interests would surely have much to carp about!
 

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