Recently, more than 6,000 non-government organisations (NGOs) had lost their license given to them under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). One of them includes ‘missionaries of charity’. The impact of Modi govt’s crackdown on Mother Teresa’s organisation was heard in the United Kingdom (UK). UK politicians are now losing their minds thinking on the issue.
British Parliament up in arms over the revocation of FCRA license
House of Lords, the second chamber of the UK Parliament, was hit by the Modi government’s crackdown on Christian Missionaries in India. Peers (members of the house) have asked the Indian government for exact details about its crackdown on NGOs.
The issue came to light in British Parliament when Lord Harries of Pentregarth, a retired Bishop asked a question about the British government’s response to the crackdown on NGOs in India. His question to British Parliament was “what representations the UK government was making to Delhi about the blocking of overseas funds for the Missionaries of Charity and other non-governmental organisations”
Lord Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) took up the responsibility of defending Boris Jhonson Government. He said that the UK government is aware of the issue at hand.
Responding specifically to revoking the license of ‘missionaries of charity’, he said, “On the issue of the license in India, I have looked into this specifically, and we do not know why its applications were rejected. I have asked and pressed to see the kinds of numbers that currently exist,”
Read more: ‘Mother’ Teresa was a con woman of the highest order and all related charities must be investigated
Questions and counter-questions
The former Bishop wasn’t satisfied with the answer. He asked whether the Indian government was trying to stop people from taking Christianity lessons.
Ahmad tried his best to convince Harries that it was not a Christianity-specific crackdown. However, he himself seemed confused about it. He said that some licenses were not renewed because their holders did not follow regulatory procedures. Additionally, he said that cancelled licenses belong to NGOs of all swathes.
“There are Christian NGOs, but there are also 250 Hindu NGOs and more than 250 Muslim NGOs, so whether this is specifically against Christian organisations is not shown by the data, but I am requesting further information in this respect,” said Ahmad.
UK government has not studied the issues in detail
Responding to Lord Alton’s question on whether the government had studied the lists of the revoked licensees, Ahmad said that the UK government has raised the issue with Indian High Commissioner in London. He also said that the UK government is in talks with the Indian government as well.
Giving a brief about the UK government’s efforts in this direction, Ahmad said, “The noble Lord points to specific numbers. As I alluded to earlier, “I have asked specifically for a drill-down on the numbers over a period, so that I can analyse directly which organisations are impacted and the reasons why these licenses have been revoked, to allow us to make much more qualified representation”
Friends of India in the U.K. Parliament today urged the Modi Government to rethink its decision to withdraw licenses from charities and civil society groups – such as Mother Teresa’s community and Oxfam – threatening their life saving work. https://t.co/QqU0OZ7atH pic.twitter.com/XtPK8I8jvA
— Lord (David) Alton (@DavidAltonHL) January 6, 2022
Meanwhile, Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, a Scottish politician advocated the involvement of multilateral organisations to solve the ‘crisis’. Recommending Commonwealth Secretariat’s involvement, he said, “sometimes multilateral organisations can be better than getting a lecture from the UK”.
Furore over FCRA license
Recently, The FCRA license of 6,000 NGOs including IIT Delhi, Jamia Milia Islamia, Indian Medical Association and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library had lapsed. These entities either did not apply for renewal of their licenses of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs rejected their applications, as per officials.
When the Modi government came to power, it was concerned about the security risks posed by foreign funding from dubious sources. So, it notified new rules in 2015 that require NGOs to give an undertaking that receipt of foreign funding is not likely to prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India or impact friendly relations with any foreign state and that it does not disrupt communal harmony.
Modi government is stern on its stand. It won’t allow anyone to tamper with the social and religious fabric of India. No amount of criticism from erstwhile colonisers will stop us from saving our cultures from outside influence.
Even after 75 years of independence is India and Indian citizens still answerable to British Parliament?
What right British Parliament have to meddle in internal matters of India?
Can Indian Govt meddle in UK internal affairs? the same way UK often does about India?
People of India are sick, tired this nonsense and requests Indian Govt to send a clear and strong open message that UK has no right to dictate their terms in India’s matters and once forever stay away from poking their dirty nose.
Before asking questions to India on Missionaries for Conversion, British, Queen Elizabeth the Charlatan should apologise and return wealth with interest to previously colonized countries. British kids should be taught in school about how uncivilised, unkind, unapologetic their Queen and their ancestors have been to a country like India. Queen’s wealth is built on stolen goods, murders, tortures, rapes and what not. And they are still not done. Christianity until now has conquered Australia, New Zealand, America, Africa only through blood shed. These highly pretentious religion, is not far behind or possibly ranks ahead in rating with Islam in terms of creating havoc all around the world. So, instead of wasting time with India set the house in order first or at least deal with homegrown Jihadis, your brothers from the same tree but sitting on a different branch. Unfortunately, Indian Christians have never tried to question their conscience.
Christian you abrahamic atheist criticise every religion except Christianity and European culture.poor boy,you must be ashamed of holocaust,inquisition and reconquista.Also read the racist views of your so called enlightened leaders.Also stop scapegoating Muslim and jews.i know you consider us an unsaved infidels,as for what terrorism.see this Idsa-threat of maoist terrorism,and also as for proselytism read this wiki-spread of islam,wiki-dawah.bye
It’s simple. Follow the government regulations instigated making the issue more complex. Discussing an Indian regulatory issue in UK parliament is a joke. Wake up guys.