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Newspaper Rainbow Series 2nd October 2020 Save

CONTEXT: Government wielding of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) as a blunt instrument makes it look insecure, shrinks vital space for Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and civil society.

About the Issue

India joined Russia in an ignoble league of nations from which the global human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has ceased operations.

Amnesty International is aggrieved by the freezing of its accounts by The Enforcement Directorate.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has accused the outfit of financial impropriety.

Issues with Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA):

FCRA of 1976 is an Emergency-era law, used to regulate foreign funding of political parties, electoral candidates, judges, newspaper publishers, and even cartoonists.
In 2010, the ambit of the law was expanded to include “any organisation of political nature”, allowed the government to scrutinise any foreign-funded organisation that could be critical of it.

This definition includes trade unions, women’s & civil rights outfits, farmers’ groups & youth forums.
In 2012, at least three NGOs lost their licence in the wake of the protest against the Kundankulam Nuclear Power Plant.

An amendment in 2016 made it incumbent on NGOs to renew the FCRA licence every five years, which was permanent earlier.

Deploying the false binaries: of development vs environment, civil rights vs national interest, the Centre has increased its stranglehold on civil society activism.

In 2020, further restrictions have been placed on the use of foreign funds by non-profits.
At least 10,000 NGOs have, reportedly, lost their licence.

Conclusion:

The involvement of NGOs in grassroots activities means they can raise the uncomfortable questions, hold the government to account, enforce corporate responsibility.