Ford Foundation conveyed ahead of Modi visit to US: Foreign funding restrictions removed

By Rajiv Shah
Knowledgeable sources in the Gujarat government, citing information they had received from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), have said that the US-based philanthropic organization, Ford Foundation, has been formally conveyed that all restrictions placed on it under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by the Government of India have been “removed”, and it could freely operate as a registered NGO in India.
“This happened just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US”, the sources said, adding, “Under intense pressure from powerful lobbies in the US, Modi, apparently, wanted to convey it to President Barack Obama that he is not against foreign funding of NGOs, as it is being interpreted by some in India.”
This happened because, said the sources, strong lobbies were operating in the US, putting pressure on the White House to raise human rights issues with Modi, who landed in the US on June 7. “Had this happened, it would have meant a major embarrassment to Modi”, the sources said, adding, “Sensing trouble, the Centre acted quickly to formally tell Ford Foundation about the good news.
Sources also said, apart from Ford Foundation NGOs, lobbies at work in the US were in “direct touch” with some of the senior administrators and academics of educational institutions which received Ford Foundation funds – IIT Bombay, IIM Ahmedabad, National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, GB Pant Social Science Institute and National Academy of Legal Studies and Research.
These insitutes wanted the Ford Foundation to “lift” all FCRA restrictions at the earliest, as, according to them, these were “affecting projects”, including those related with capacity building and technical assistance, feasibility for wireless broadband services to the rural poor, fellowships for international studies, and general research work.
The relations between the Ford Foundation and the Modi government began showing signs of thawing early this year, when it was taken off the 'prior permission' list. The 'prior approval' list comprises a group of organisations under government scanner for alleged 'anti-India' activities.
Soon thereafter, the Government of India “unblocked” foreign funds amounting to $150,000 to the Ford Foundation's Indian bank accounts, helping it to pay salaries to its staff.
Gujarat govt role: A little more than a year ago, the Gujarat government’s home department has asked the Government of India to seek an inquiry into the Ford Foundation’s grants to NGOs run by human rights activist Teesta Setalvad, fighting tens of 2002 communal riots cases.
In a letter addressed to the Union Home Ministry, the Gujarat government officially said action should be taken against the Ford Foundation, alleging that the it was "interfering in internal affairs" of the country and "abetting communal disharmony" through the NGO Sabrang Trust, run by well-known social activist Teesta Setalvad.
The complaint reportedly said, Setalvad’s NGO received $250,000 with allegations that she “embezzled” these funds given to her NGOs -- Citizens for Justice and Peace and Sabrang Trust. A CBI inquiry was instituted, her house was raided and an attempt to arrest her was made, but a Supreme Court order came in the way.
The Union home ministry placed Ford Foundation on its watch list and said that its funds would be routed with proper clearances.
Meanwhile, the Ford Foundation moved quickly to remove one of the technical glitches – it had been operating in India since 1952 as the only NGO which did not operate under the then Foreign Exchange Management Act, which required registration under the Indian Societies Act.
On registering as Indian NGO, in March this year, the Ford Foundation was taken off the "prior permission" list – a move that came just a few days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US for the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.

Comments

Anonymous said…

Enjoyed your comprehensive reporting. Great talent, nourished by years of hard work.

June 11, 2016

pemmaraju said…

what is that talent you have seen for writing just 3 paragraph biased content?

June 15, 2016

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Search This Blog