Stop "uninformed visits" by IB cops to NGO offices: Top Indian civil society network to Ministry of Home Affairs

By A Representative
The Voluntary Action Network of India (VANI), the country’s apex body of 500 NGOs, has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to immediately stop “surprise visits by local intelligence bureau (IB) cops to NGO offices. In a letter to MHA, Harsh Jaitli, CEO,VANI, has said, the view is strong among them that they are “victim of local IB and police who often visit uninformed and most often do not share their purpose and identity proofs.”
Pointing out that this should be part of the “attempt to enhance transparency and accountability” in the NGO sector, VANI, which held consultations in mid-June on suggestions to proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules (FCRR), 2011, also insisted that going over to the online reporting system may be a desirable, as MHA wants, but the MHA must also move to create “enabling environment for the same.”
“The electronic system, as proposed by MHA, needs to be efficient and manageable”, the letter underlined, adding, however, while doing this, “concerns of small grassroots organizations to function electronically” should be addressed, because they “do not have online access and many a time face such difficulty due to poor internet connections.” In fact, it insisted, “Procuring digitally signature is beyond the capacity of smaller grassroots organizations.”
Pointing out that “only online provision will be extremely difficult for the smaller grassroots organizations who play a huge role in nation development”, the letter said, this is particularly difficult for organizations working in conflict areas such as Naxal prone areas, “where law and order is an issue due to display of real time financial data on their websites… The internal security of such organizations may come under threat due to cyber-crimes.”
The letter complained, “Many organizations in rural areas have experienced non-cooperation from banks to open foreign contribution (FC) account due to various obligations for banks.” In this context, it said, it was impossible to “submit details of fund receipt within 48 hours”, as required by MHA, adding the “earlier 30 days was quite reasonable”.
In fact, the letter said, “Due to extreme pressure on banks for speedy reporting, there will an increased fear among banks to open the FCRA accounts, and in many cases they might deny opening the accounts.”
The letter objected to “seeking details” of Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites, saying this is “not acceptable.” It insisted, “All the participant organizations shared the common concern that seeking such details entails restricting the social space of individuals which amounts to curtailment of fundamental right of the citizens of this country.”
Then, the letter asked the MHA to “develop a database of organizations with all their documents and details in one place, rather than procuring the same information again and again after every five years during the renewal process.”
Wanting a proper grievance redressal mechanism for NGOs to be in place, the letter said, this is particularly important “looking at the volume of the NGO sector, their grievances and geographical spread.” It added, “Since there has been a long communication gap between the MHA and the sector, this (can be) a window for enhanced communication and speedy redressal of issues.”
Referring to the controversial MHA order placing “many major donor organisations under Prior Approval Category”, the letter said, “not all projects supported by these donors” are under scanner of the MHA. “Hence, to facilitate the smooth implementation of such socially useful projects, VANI would like to interact with the MHA to develop guidelines or system where it becomes less painful and well-coordinated with Banks”, it suggested.
---
For section-wise proposals by VANI on amendments to FCRR, click HERE

Comments

Gujarat Information Commission issues warning against misinterpretation of RTI orders

By A Representative The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has issued a press note clarifying that its orders limiting the number of Right to Information (RTI) applications for certain individuals apply only to those specific applicants. The GIC has warned that it will take disciplinary action against any public officials who misinterpret these orders to deny information to other citizens. The press note, signed by GIC Secretary Jaideep Dwivedi, states that the Right to Information Act, 2005, is a powerful tool for promoting transparency and accountability in public administration. However, the commission has observed that some applicants are misusing the act by filing an excessive number of applications, which disproportionately consumes the time and resources of Public Information Officers (PIOs), First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and the commission itself. This misuse can cause delays for genuine applicants seeking justice. In response to this issue, and in acc...

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Uttarakhand tunnel disaster: 'Question mark' on rescue plan, appraisal, construction

By Bhim Singh Rawat* As many as 40 workers were trapped inside Barkot-Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi after a portion of the 4.5 km long, supposedly completed portion of the tunnel, collapsed early morning on Sunday, Nov 12, 2023. The incident has once again raised several questions over negligence in planning, appraisal and construction, absence of emergency rescue plan, violations of labour laws and environmental norms resulting in this avoidable accident.

'MGNREGA crisis deepening': NSM demands fair wages and end to digital exclusions

By A Representative The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM), a coalition of independent unions of MGNREGA workers, has warned that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is facing a “severe crisis” due to persistent neglect and restrictive measures imposed by the Union Government.

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

Job opportunities decreasing, wages remain low: Delhi construction workers' plight

By Bharat Dogra* It was about 32 years back that a hut colony in posh Prashant Vihar area of Delhi was demolished. It was after a great struggle that the people evicted from here could get alternative plots that were not too far away from their earlier colony. Nirmana, an organization of construction workers, played an important role in helping the evicted people to get this alternative land. At that time it was a big relief to get this alternative land, even though the plots given to them were very small ones of 10X8 feet size. The people worked hard to construct new houses, often constructing two floors so that the family could be accommodated in the small plots. However a recent visit revealed that people are rather disheartened now by a number of adverse factors. They have not been given the proper allotment papers yet. There is still no sewer system here. They have to use public toilets constructed some distance away which can sometimes be quite messy. There is still no...

Rally in Patna: Non-farmer bodies to highlight plight of agriculture in Eastern India ahead of march to Parliament

P Sainath By A Representative Ahead of the march to Parliament on November 29-30, 2018, organized by over 210 farmer and agricultural worker organisations of the country demanding a 21-day special session of Parliament to deliberate on remedial measures for safeguarding the interest of farm, farmers and agricultural workers, a mass rally been organized for November 23, Gandhi Sangrahalaya (Gandhi Museum), Gandhi Maidan, Patna. Say the organizers, the Eastern region merits special attention, because, while crisis of farmers and agricultural workers in Western, Southern and Northern India has received some attention in the media and central legislature, the plight of those in the Eastern region of the country (Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Eastern UP) has remained on the margins. To be addressed by P Sainath, founder of People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), a statement issued ahead of the rally says, the Eastern India was the most prosperous regi...

India's health workers have no legal right for their protection, regrets NGO network

Counterview Desk In a letter to Union labour and employment minister Santosh Gangwar, the civil rights group Occupational and Environmental Health Network of India (OEHNI), writing against the backdrop of strike by Bhabha hospital heath care workers, has insisted that they should be given “clear legal right for their protection”.

Counterview

Search This Blog