Squabbles in RS over US panel report
Rajya Sabha Tuesday saw a heated exchange BJP’s Vinay Katiyar and Rajya Sabha deputy chairman PJ Kurien after the latter refused permission to the ruling party member to speak on a disallowed motion.
Trouble began after Kurien disallowed Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal’s notice under rule 267, seeking suspension of business, to discuss a US Congress- established panel’s report which said that Indian minorities were being subjected to “violent attacks” and “forced conversions” after the Modi government assumed power in 2014.
Agarwal wanted the government to respond to the report. Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said India’s Constitution and culture “guarantees religious freedom. We don’t need a certificate from anyone.” After this, Kurien disallowed the motion but Katiyar insisted on speaking on the subject.
The deputy chairman said once the motion has been rejected and the minister has responded on behalf of the government, there
Spelling out reasons for putting Ford Foundation in the prior approval category, the government on Tuesday told Parliament that the international donor agency had funded several NGOs which were not registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA).
“There are inputs from security agencies that some amounts have been credited from Ford Foundation to some NGOs which are not registered under the pro- is no need for anyone else to speak. He then called Mayawati to speak on the Moga incident. An agitated Katiyar stormed into the Well of House and was seen speaking to Kurien from next to the Chair. Infuriated opposition members protested Katiyar’s behaviour.
In its 2015 annual report, US Commission on International Religious Freedom said that after the general elections last year, religious minority communities had been subject to derogatory comments by politicians linked to the BJP and violent attacks and force conversions by Hindu nationalist groups like the RSS and the VHP. visions of FCRA. Hence, to keep a watch on such recipients, the credits from Ford Foundation have been put under prior permission category,” Union minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju told the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Tuesday.
Under the prior approval category, any funding from the foundation will require approval from the home affairs ministry before it reaches the intended NGO.
Rijiju said activist Teesta Setalvad was associated with two NGOs — Citizens for Justice and Peace and Sabrang Trust —reg- istered under FCRA.
“As far as funding from Ford Foundation is concerned, only Sabrang Trust has been funded,” he said.
I n a n o t h e r a n swe r, t h e minister said in 2014, penalty of ` 51.99 lakh was imposed on 24 NGOs for receiving and utilising foreign contribution without registration or prior permission.
Till date, 30 cases of violation involving misappropriation or mis-utilisation of foreign contribution have been referred to the CBI of which six cases resulted in conviction.