New Delhi, November 11 (PTI): The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has told the Supreme Court that they have sent letters to the Ministry of Home Affairs to look into the foreign funds received by some NGOs and their utilization.
In an affidavit filed in the apex court on a petition which has raised issues about the Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2020, the NCPCR has said some NGOs have FCRA registration and receive foreign funds and give further to other NGOs which don't have such registration.
It said the NCPCR is continuously inspecting the child care institutions (CCIs) and taking various steps against NGOs which violate provisions of law.
The affidavit, filed through advocate Swarupama Chaturvedi, said that NGO Centre for Equity Studies' having FCRA registration receives foreign funding and further gives fund to NGO Rainbow Foundation India' which does not have FCRA registration but run CCIs in various cities in India.
"The NCPCR has sent letters dated November 30, 2020, and June 24, 2021, to the Ministry of Home Affairs to look into the foreign funds being received by 'Centre for Equity Studies' and 'ARUN' and further utilization of the same fund," it said.
A bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar had on November 9 reserved its judgement on a batch of pleas raising issues concerning the Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2020.
In its affidavit which mentions names of certain NGOs and organisations, the NCPCR has said, "It is most respectfully submitted that there are NGOs which have FCRA registration and therefore receive foreign funds and give further to other NGOs, which don't have FCRA registration and there are some NGOs where violations of statutory provisions have been found".
It said the inspection team of NCPCR has found that in a children home at Dhubri in Assam, funds are being received since 2016 from an international organization based in Turkey.
The affidavit said the NCPCR has sent the letter concerning certain CCIs based in Assam to the MHA in February this year for inquiry into the foreign funding of the organisation.
It said the team of NCPCR had also conducted an inspection of CCIs run by another NGO and it was observed that these institutions were being run without registration under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
It said the commission has written a letter to the MHA to inquire into the FCRA funding of this NGO as well.
The affidavit said the commission has also received complaints wherein serious allegations had been made against a society in Telangana indulging in forceful religious conversion of minors staying in the homes and orphanages run by the society.
It said the commission is taking steps to ensure that there should be an investigation on these allegations.
During the hearing in the matter on November 9, the Centre had told the apex court that the right to receive foreign contributions is not a fundamental right and if it is unregulated, it may result in "devastating consequences".
Defending the amendments carried out in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, the government had told the top court that the object of the changes was to streamline the compliance mechanism and enhance transparency and accountability.
The bench was hearing three separate petitions concerning the Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2020.
While two of these petitions have challenged certain amendments carried out in the Act, another plea has sought a direction to the government not to grant any further extension to the NGOs to comply with specific provisions of the law.
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Source: PTI
