This website of Manushi was hijacked three years ago by a person who offered to upgrade it. We were unable to post any new material since we were denied access. We have now managed to recover and clean up the website of viruses & will soon launch a new website on the same url. Please bear with us for a few more days.

Working Towards Solutions

Manushi

Forum for Women's Rights and Democratic Reforms

 
Home About Us Articles
  • Campaigns
Modinama: Articles on Post Godhra GujaratFrom Manushi ArchivesIn Defence of Khap PanchayatsResolution of Kashmir ConflictClean Rivers CampaignPolicy Reform Work for Street VendorsGender JusticePolicy Reform Work for Cycle Rickshaw Pullers
Books & Videos Contact Us Support Us
 

Articles

  • Articles
  • Poems
  • Stories
Need for Self Reliant Politics
Petition to PM to Ban Foreign Funding of NGOs & Set Up a National Social Service Fund to Support NGOs

Hon’ble Prime Minister of India,

7 Race Course Road

New Delhi.

February 17, 2015

Dear Prime Minister

Subject: Impartial Commission of Inquiry on foreign funded NGO’s and creation of National Social Service Fund to support genuine social service organizations.

We the undersigned request you for an appointment to discuss the following issue in detail.

Foreign funded NGOs (FFNGOs) have been on the government’s watch list for a while now. Both NDA and UPA governments have had serious issues with several such FFNGOs. But the actions taken against a select few do not appear to be the product of a well thought out policy.

The following is a partial list of charges against some of the FFNGOs:  

  • Misappropriation of funds, lack of transparency and accountability: A CBI analysis of NGOs across the country showed that of the 22,39,971 NGOs functioning in 20 States, only 10% (about 2,23,428) submitted annual returns. Of 5,684 NGOs in the six Union Territories, only 50 filed their balance sheets. None of the NGOs in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura file returns. (The Hindu, January 6, 2015).
  • Political activism with foreign funds: FCRA rules and regulations specifically forbid the use of foreign funds for undertaking “political activities”. Yet a large proportion of FFNGOs have been indulging in a whole range of political activities, including campaigning for or against certain political parties during elections.
  • Motivated interventions in economic policies: Some leading NGOs have been in the forefront of mobilisingresistance against nationally important development projects (such as in the power sector) allegedly at the behest of foreign agencies causing enormous damage to India’s growth potential.
  • Endangering geopolitical security of India andproselytizing under the guise of “Development”: Many NGOs claiming to be involved in “human rights”, “social empowerment”, “rural development”, etc., are alleged to be fronts for India-based or foreign-supported extremist political organizations with socially disruptive agendas and have been found lending support to secessionist movements. Some Christian missionary groups, under the guise of “developmental” organizations, also carry out proselytization activities in India that often disrupt social harmony and end up damaging the delicate social fabric of India.

It is estimated that “of the 20 lakh registered NGOs and societies in the country, only 30,000 or so (about 1.5%) are actually doing developmental work” (www.outlookindia.com/article/Oh-What-A-Racket/221515). The widely-known Citizens for Justice and Peace is  only one among many NGOsthat face serious charges of buying personal luxuries out of funds meant for victims or disasters.

As per the report published by the Home Ministry for the year 2011-12, some 22,702 NGOs reportedly received Rs.11,546crores as foreign contributions.It is widely believed that the inflow turns out to be much larger if non-legal flows as well as funds that come through UN system (which are not under the purview of FCRA) are added to these numbers. Apart from the FCRA or UN route, there are perhaps other lesser known routes of raising foreign funds. There are cases of NGOs like that of the world-famous Narmada Bachao Andolan,which does not even have a bank account and yet could run high-powered national and international campaigns to obstruct and stop major development projects.

Our Petition

To deal with the situation, the Government of India needs a coherent, transparent policy towards FFNGOs, both secular and religious. We appeal to the Government to: 

 

Ø  Appoint an impartial Inquiry Commission:  Constitute a high-powered Commission of Inquiry into the functioning and sources of funding of all foreign funded NGOs in India  to discover: 

  1. Whether the provisions of FCRA, including the provision forbidding political activity, are being complied with;
  2. The nature of the donor agencies funding NGOs in India and the stated and hidden agendas of those agencies;
  3. Evidence of corruption, if any, in the utilisation of foreign funds; 
  4. Linkages of FFNGOs with secessionist and other antinational outfits, if any;
  5. Evidence of hawala transactions, if any;
  6. Use of foreign funds for political activities including lobbying and campaigning.  

However, this requires that “political activity” bedefinedrigorously. For instance, are advocacy campaigns for enactmentof new laws to come under “political activity”? Do campaigns against selected political parties in the name of “combating communalism” constitute political activity or not?

Ø  Restrictions on foreign-funded activism or on lobbying with foreign governments: While this Commission of Inquiry carries on with its investigations, we urge the Government to enact a law banning the use of foreign money for carrying out political or religious activity in the country. While political and religious freedoms-- including critiquing development projects perceived to be harmful--are guaranteed under the Indian Constitution, these rights must be exercised with locally raised resources. There also needs to be a ban on NGOs lobbying with foreign governments to seek punitive action against India under the guise of protecting human rights or religious freedom.

Ø  Create alternative sources of funding for social organisations within India: The Companies Act 2013 requires corporate entities to spend at least 2 per cent of their profits on societal good. For proper utilisation of these corporate social responsibility funds, these should be compulsorily deposited into a National Social Service Fund under the charge of an autonomous body on the lines of the Election Commission of India. This body should have a set up in every state capital. Voluntary agenciesengaged in providing social services, creating educational institutions, running advocacy campaigns, human rights work etc., may be funded through this National Fund in a transparent manner based on well-defined rules and procedures.

Ø  Demand transparency of accounts from NGOs: It should be mandatory for FFNGOs to post details of income and expenditure on their websites, apart from submitting duly audited accounts to tax authorities every year.


We look forward to an early response to our petition.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

(Signed by Madhu Purnima Kishwar)

Professor CSDS & founder MANUSHI

On behalf of

Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Arsha Vidya Gurukulam; R Vaidyanathan, Professor, IIM Bangalore; Rajiv Malhotra, Director, Infinity Foundation; PR Krishna Kumar, Founder, Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore, J K Bajaj, Director, Centre for Policy Studies; K Gopinath, (Prof IISc Bangalore), DK Hari, Bharat Gyan; Nanditha Krishna, Hon Director, C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation; Vijayalakshmi, Secretary Heritage; Amit Malviya, Convener, Jijnasa; Sandeep Balakrishna, Director, India Facts Research Centre; Michel Danino, Convener, International Forum for India’s Heritage.

 

Address for Correspondence: C-1/3, Sangam Estate, 1 Under Hill Road, Civil Lines, Delhi – 110054
Phone No. 08826377770, Email: madhukishwar@manushi-india.org

 

Sign Petition
Comments (31) We welcome your comments
 
Name
Email
Contact No.
Comment
It is a very good move. Time we got rid of all foreign funding. No work of consequence us done by these NGO\'s except create disharmony in the society.
Posted By Punam On Date: 20 Feb 2015
dear sir,
VERY happy to learn about this wonderful initiative with a selfless intention to serve people of India.
please keep us informed of the development of this issue.


we are with you.

CANAGA GANESH

Posted By CANAGA On Date: 20 Feb 2015
Excellent and long-overdue attempt to cleanse a rotten system. Pls make it into a signable petition. thanks.
Posted By sneha On Date: 20 Feb 2015
I fully agree that all the NGOs must adhere to the basic rules of the land and work transparently. Caesar himself should be above suspicion.
Posted By RC Tripathi On Date: 21 Feb 2015
thanks sir for your work regarding the ngos in India who work for the cause and also need some transparency about NGOs sector towards development works.we are working in orissa gajapati dist.
Posted By s.moti lalreddy On Date: 23 Feb 2015
I agree with your petition entirely.
However, not to condemn all support coming from abroad, there may be a provision for foreign philanthropic organisations to make contribution to the proposed Fund for specific objectives.
Posted By Paritosh Tyagi On Date: 23 Feb 2015
There are some NGOs that are doing real welfare activities but there some that are indulging in the destructive political activities or anti national activities for the disintegration of the country or obstruct the development of the country or weaken its decision making in the world forums. No NGO should be allowed to be financed directly by the foreign agencies, which amounts to an internal interference directly or indirectly in the financial administration of the country... thus any country wanting to help the people of India she should send those funds to the Govt. of India for a proper accounting and auditing of those funds through those NGOs working towards the welfare of the people of India..
Posted By Col Yogeshwar Dayal On Date: 23 Feb 2015
G'evng
Everyone knows that it is very difficult to stop this activity since some great numerous of amount involved.
Anyway it is a fantastic move and much appreciated.
Congrats on your brave petition.
Suresh
Posted By Suresh Babu BALAN On Date: 28 Feb 2015
you start really great job ,govt must be do solid action against NGO s ,this NGO s people create more trouble to india development ,spoil our culture,separate people by religious ,and some media also behind this group ,i wish your hard job ,best of luck
Posted By rbkaran On Date: 02 Mar 2015
Is India the rape capital of world?

http://www.more.com/news/india-rape-capital-world

This happens in USA also read below extracts from the above web site.


Oh, but you think, women who've been sexually assaulted in America are better treated. Rape victims in India, especially in rural villages, are often subject to shaming and considered unfit for marriage. But meanwhile, in Steubenville, Ohio, two young men who were convicted of raping a 16-year-old girl too intoxicated to consent continue to be defended as upstanding football players while the reputation of the young woman is smeared. When the verdict was announced, a CNN reporter came close to portraying the rapists as passive victims: “These two young men that had such promising futures, star football players, very good students, literally watched as they believed their lives fell apart.†Other media coverage seemed equally sympathetic to the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the victim was blamed. Early on, one of the 19 coaches of the Steubenville High football team said the victim was just making up the rape. The victim and her family had to get police protection due to the level of threats against them. Two weeks ago, a prominent local activitist in Steubenville spoke about the “alleged victim†(even though the allegations had turned into a conviction) and suggested, according to a reporter, that the victim “might have been a willing participantâ€. Meanwhile, the woman who broke the story of the rape—she is a local blogger—has been harassed and threatened.
Posted By gajanan On Date: 05 Mar 2015
A VERY GOOD INITIATIVE TAKEN BY YOU.I THANK YOU FOR THIS EFFORT.
Posted By Sudhir Sajwan On Date: 18 Mar 2015
Before commenting, I would like to say that I had some experience of the working of NGOs of all hues,from 1990s -2001.Being in Govt. of India overseeing processing of some of the applications from NGOs for foreign funds, I could make out that in 5 out of 10 cases the funds were used for personal enhancement. Since it was difficult those days to get foreign funds thro. regular channels, people formed NGOs with any high sounding objectives to get the funds. Forming an NGO was an easy( learnt much difficult now a days) exercise and getting it registered was also a child's play. I do not think any audit or survey has been made to gauge the impact of funds received so far.I could find that some of these bodies had motives which could or would disturb the national fabric of peace and harmony.This petition if accepted could help in bringing about some positive change. Before ending, I would also like to add that I could find some very good NGOs doing excellent work in underdeveloped areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Posted By Suresh Mandan On Date: 23 Apr 2015
It is good that license for some NGO's have been revoked. Everybody has to follow the rules of the land and not work for against country's interest.How can you have an enemy in your house plotting your destruction. High time they come clean . transparency is a must.
Posted By Prasanna Nair On Date: 28 Apr 2015
I totally support this Petition.
Posted By Jhhen B. Choudhary On Date: 28 Apr 2015
All foreign funding come with a motive & agenda In the 70s & 80s Christian associated funds entered the country in name of social upliftment of downtrodden but in fact was used for street plays leading to revolutionary & separatist movement in the south which turned into what we now know as Naxalite movement. Funding still enters the country unabated. This must stop. Now.
Posted By Navin Joshi On Date: 28 Apr 2015
this is Long overdue. Please go real hard on this so-called NGOs cause they r equally responsible for under development in our country
Posted By Hitesh Parmar On Date: 28 Apr 2015
we support this,only NGO working for poor ppl shall be allowed viz bill gate etc.Not anti development,we have elected govt by us & courts to handle such thing
Posted By Kailas Dave On Date: 28 Apr 2015
Good initiation from Manushi.
In my opinion, in addition to the financial audit of the NGOs there has to be Social Audit of the work undertaken by them. The rules have to be clear cut with no ambiguity with penal provisions who play with socio-religious and national interests. Social has to be above the petty issues raised from across our borders.
Posted By Suman Kumar Sudan On Date: 28 Apr 2015
Long overdue ban 90% are engage in activities nefarious harmful for our country under garb of NGO Foreign funded actually work against India interest
Posted By Narendra Vikram Singhe On Date: 28 Apr 2015
Long overdue ban 90% are engage in activities nefarious harmful for our country under garb of NGO Foreign funded actually work against India interest
Posted By Narendra Vikram Singhe On Date: 28 Apr 2015
गलत को रोकने का à¤à¤• ही उपाय है पà¥à¤°à¤§à¤¾à¤¨à¤®à¤‚तà¥à¤°à¥€-राषà¥à¤Ÿà¥à¤°à¤ªà¤¤à¤¿ की भी गंभीर आरोप में बà¥à¤°à¥‡à¤¨à¤®à¥‡à¤ªà¤¿à¤‚ग व लाई डिटेकà¥à¤Ÿà¤° टेसà¥à¤Ÿ हो।
देश का पà¥à¤°à¤§à¤¾à¤¨à¤®à¤‚तà¥à¤°à¥€ ही उदà¥à¤¯à¥‹à¤—पतियों का दलाल बन उनके सारे अनैतिक काम करता है उसका कà¥à¤¯à¤¾ करें ? #PMO
सरà¥à¤µà¥‹à¤šà¥à¤š नà¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¯à¤¾à¤²à¤¯ के मà¥à¤–à¥à¤¯ नà¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¯à¤¾à¤§à¥€à¤¶ नà¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¯ को वेशà¥à¤¯à¤¾ बनाकर अरबपति बन गठउसका कà¥à¤¯à¤¾ करें ?

विदेशों में बैठे सतà¥à¤¤à¤¾ व हथियारों के दलालोंके पैसों के बदौलत बने मंतà¥à¤°à¥€,सांसद यहाà¤à¤¤à¤• की पà¥à¤°à¤§à¤¾à¤¨à¤®à¤‚तà¥à¤°à¥€ का कà¥à¤¯à¤¾ करें ?
Posted By JAI KUMAR JHA On Date: 28 Apr 2015
Dear Sir/Madam,

Strongly recommend to ban foreign funding to all the NGOs. This will greatly help in our national security as well as any malicious propaganda on projects of national interest.

Also, helps in securing our country\\\'s identity & heritage which is threatened by western and gulf countries.

I do not think that those are really genuine in running NGOs, look for foreign funding or may be, any funding!

Warm Regards,
Dinesh Kumar BV
Posted By Dinesh Kumar B V On Date: 28 Apr 2015
Dear Sir/Madam,

Strongly recommend to ban foreign funding to all the NGOs. This will greatly help in our national security as well as any malicious propaganda on projects of national interest.

Also, helps in securing our country\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s identity & heritage which is threatened by western and gulf countries.

I do not think that those are really genuine in running NGOs, look for foreign funding or may be, any funding!

Warm Regards,
Dinesh Kumar BV
Posted By Dinesh Kumar B V On Date: 28 Apr 2015
I appreciate this petition and support it completely. NGOs are one of the biggest threat to national security and our democratic fabrics. Please stop the illegal NGOs
Posted By Shivram On Date: 28 Apr 2015
Most ppl think they (NGO's) r working 4 money they r helping ppl and in this notion they forget the fact that NGO's r for help what what is its source of funding is also important and they claim to b pure so their funding should b from pure and nationalist sources not from some disguised foundations like Ford who only work for agitation not for any other fruitful and productive help.
Posted By Anupama Dogra On Date: 28 Apr 2015
This is a good petition. Although its not fair right to ban all NGOs, Govt. should ensure that there is a coherent and a transparent policy to monitor these NGOs and ensure that they do not carry out any hidden agendas.
Posted By G Viswanath On Date: 28 Apr 2015
An online petition would have been much easier to sign & share with others. This will help in spreading the message much faster. Please start the campaign with online petition on this.
Posted By sakthivel On Date: 28 Apr 2015
Yes they should be investigated and closed
Posted By sandeep On Date: 28 Apr 2015
respected Honourable Prime Minister,
We pray to take actions in the interest of a nation.
Posted By Mukesh G Trivedi On Date: 29 Apr 2015
Yes ban dubious ngo foreign funfing
Posted By Abhay On Date: 29 Apr 2015

Fully agree with the petition.
Posted By Raam Sidhaye On Date: 29 Apr 2015

 
 
 
Indic Studies
Indic Studies Network
Indic studies The Indic Studies Project Indic studies Past Conferences on Religions & Cultures in the Indic Civilisation Indic studies Raimandu Pannikar on Indic Studies
Indic Studies Event Forthcoming Events
 
 
 
 
  Home | About us | Indic Studies | Volunteers / Interns | Books and Videos | Contact us | Join e-Group | Madhu Kishwar's Blog
 Copyright © 2021, Manushi Trust, All Rights Reserved. | Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Web Development India