The Church of North India, one of the country’s oldest evangelical organisations, has come under the scanner of the Central Government over alleged flouting of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act or FCRA, stated an insider in the Union Home Ministry.
Subsequently, the Home Ministry has revoked the foreign funding licence of the Church of North India that runs multiple schools and colleges across the country.
“The FRCA licence of the Church of India has been revoked in the wake of alleged violation of FCRA provisions. A probe is under way,” informed a ministry official without divulging further details.
FCRA registration is required for any NGO or association if it has to receive foreign monetary assistance. At least, 16,900 NGOs or associations in Bharat have FCRA licences presently.
Over the past eight years, the Centre has tightened the rules and procedures for NGOs to receive and utilise foreign funds. The Ministry sources revealed the FCRA licences of over 7,000 NGOs had been cancelled in the last four years for FCRA violations.
The crackdown has led various civil society groups to blame the Centre of trying to stifle dissent.
In July, the Constitutional Conduct Group of retired civil servants had expressed deep concern at the “harassment” of NGOs in the country on the charge of FCRA violations through an open letter written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The letter had urged Shah to take steps to “cease needless harassment of organisations serving people of Bharat, especially its most marginalised and disadvantaged sections”.
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