The Ministry of Home Affairs has put two international evangelist groups under the “prior permission category.” After this, the donors can no longer directly send money to NGOs in India, and will require clearance from the MHA.
A senior official told The Hindu that the U.S.-based Compassion International and Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, South Korea were put on the “watch list” on March 28 after “adverse reports” from security agencies.
There are 18 foreign donors under the government’s scanner right now. Of these, eight were put under the prior-permission category during the UPA government and the other 10 since the NDA government came to power. U.S.-based Ford Foundation, which was also put under this category in 2015, was taken off the list in March this year.
Top donor According to data available with the MHA, Compassion International was the top foreign donor in 2012-13 when it donated Rs. 183.83 crore to NGOs in India.
According to the donor’s website, it began its operation in 1968 when the Child Sponsorship Program was started. It says that its “church partners are in close proximity to schools so children are able to spend a good amount of time at their child development centers.”
According to The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification’s website the group’s mission is “to equip individuals with the knowledge needed to develop a personal relationship with God and with each other based on that premise.”
The senior government official said: “These two associations were directly sending money to certain organisations which were indulging in anti-national activities. They are accused of proselytization also. We only want to keep a check on their funds.”
Last week, Minister of State (Home) Kiren Rijiju told the Lok Sabha: “After due consideration and based on specific reports one organisation was removed from the prior reference category and two others have been added to the prior reference category in the year 2016.”
As per data available with the Ministry of Home Affairs, 33,346 registered associations in India received Rs. 12,980 crore in 2013-14 from foreign donors.
