BJP government’s FCRA regulations have rattled the foreign funded NGOs working against the interests of the country. India, one of the largest economies in the world, is growing at a never seen before pace. Governments usually find equitable distribution of resources among various states difficult owing to limitations of such resources. This gap between demand and supply had created the need for Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) in the country. Generally working on a non-profit basis the NGOs have been functioning in India since ages without much regulation and control on their activities. With an extensive reach in the rural and suburban areas of the country, the activities of NGOs have hitherto been unchecked. Left to themselves many of the NGOs receiving funds from undisclosed sources actively indulged in anti-development and anti-Indian work. The idea was to serve the vested interests of their foreign donors while hampering the India’s goal to reach self-dependency.
All this changed with BJP coming to power in the 2014 elections which marked a stop to the free reign given to the NGOs by Congress. The BJP government realized in a year what the Congress could not during its long reign at the Centre. Most of the foreign funded NGOs were using the funds received from undisclosed sources to portray a negative image of the country to the outside world. The conversion brigade of religious groups masquerading as non-political NGOs from around the world have resorted to such nefarious tactics as paying people to protest against setting up of projects and corporations, such as Kudankulam nuclear plant agitation or the POSCO agitation in Odisha, or indulging in activities which would be out right offensive to any educated Indian. The vast number of Christian missionaries working across India in the rural and tribal areas or the Islamic propaganda missionaries such as Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation has engaged in practices which can be deemed adverse to India’s national interests and its homeland security.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, addressing the Parliament spoke about 14,000 NGOs whose licenses have been cancelled in the past 4 years. These NGOs received foreign funding and were unable to divulge the sources for the funds received over the years despite multiple requests by the government. The FCRA Act has been used by the government against these organisations which were engaged in nefarious anti-Indian activities. Some examples of well known NGOs’ FCRA license being cancelled include that of ‘Greenpeace India’ in 2015 on the grounds of “prejudicially affecting the public interest and economic interest of the state.” Another such NGO ‘Compassion International’ received the same penalty under FCRA norms. These NGOs were suspected to be engaged in activities which were detrimental to the growth of the country. The numerous cases of NGOs working hand in hand with churches from foreign lands and their involvement in the mass conversions of tribal population in states such as Jharkhand are quite well known.
The present central government’s stand has been clear on this issue ever since it came to power. Abide by the rules, don’t be a roadblock on India’s progress. If not, your organization will be shut down. This never seen before strictness might be the cause of an uproar from the opposition and the liberal society but it was very much needed in the country. The government has made it clear through these actions and FCRA regulations on NGOs that India will develop but on its own terms and funds. It is not going to let organisations mislead people under the garb of charity and free service to the society. The goal of development will be achieved without the help of modern day colonists from outside India who want to dominate the free will of the Indian public and keep trying to mould it to suit their own vested interests.