India Declares FCRA Amendment Bill 2026 An Internal Matter Amid US Criticism

The Ministry of External Affairs has firmly dismissed criticism from a US lawmaker regarding India’s proposed amendments to its foreign funding law. At a bi-weekly media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that legislative matters are strictly internal affairs, determined solely by the Indian Parliament.

He underscored that many countries, including the United States, have their own frameworks regulating foreign monetary inflows, making India’s approach neither unusual nor unprecedented.

Jaiswal stated that the issue raised had been noted, but reiterated that decisions on India’s legislation remain within the sovereign domain of Parliament.

He pointed out that international jurisdictions also impose restrictions on foreign financing, thereby reinforcing India’s right to regulate such matters in accordance with its national interest.

The remarks came in response to objections raised by US Congressman Riley Moore, who criticised the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. Moore argued that the provisions could allow the government to assume control of churches and philanthropic institutions, warning that such measures might strain bilateral ties between India and the United States.

He further claimed that the bill represented a direct attack on Christians, despite their long historical presence in India since the arrival of St Thomas the Apostle on the Malabar Coast.

Moore’s comments, shared on social media, highlighted concerns that the amendments would permit government takeovers of religious charities. He cautioned that if the bill proceeded in its current form, it would become a significant point of contention in India–US relations.

The proposed legislation seeks to establish a Designated Authority responsible for managing foreign contributions and assets acquired through such funds in cases where an organisation’s FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered, or lapses.

Importantly, the bill stipulates that if the assets include a place of worship, the authority must ensure that its religious character is preserved.

The amendment also proposes reducing the maximum penalty for violations of the Act from five years’ imprisonment to one year, signalling a shift towards lighter punitive measures while expanding regulatory oversight.

The FCRA framework governs the receipt and utilisation of foreign funds across NGOs, charitable organisations, academic institutions, religious trusts, and related bodies.

According to Ministry of Home Affairs data, 13,520 entities received foreign contributions amounting to ₹55,741 Crores between 2019 and 2022.

As of 15 July 2026, official records show 14,449 active registrations, 22,498 cancelled, and 15,212 expired, illustrating the extensive reach of the law and the scale of foreign funding in India.

The MEA’s response underscores India’s position that the regulation of foreign contributions is a sovereign matter, aligning with practices followed in other countries. While international criticism has surfaced, New Delhi has made clear that its legislative prerogatives remain firmly within domestic jurisdiction.

ANI

Comments

Continue Reading

Spilling The Beans: India’s FCRA Amendment Bill Sparks US Concern Over Religious Freedom And Bilateral Ties

A proposed amendment to India’s foreign funding law has sparked sharp criticism from US Congressman Riley Moore, who warned it could strain India–US ties, NDTV reported.

The bill empowers the government to seize control of foreign-funded assets when FCRA registrations lapse, though it also reduces penalties for violations.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 has become a flashpoint in Washington and New Delhi. Republican Congressman Riley Moore of West Virginia, a member of President Donald Trump’s party, has publicly claimed that the legislation amounts to a “clear attack against Christians.” 

He argued that the bill would allow the Indian government to take over churches and religious charities if their registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) is cancelled, surrendered, or not renewed. He warned that such provisions could become a major concern in bilateral relations between India and the United States.

Moore invoked the long history of Christianity in India, noting that Christians have been present since St Thomas the Apostle travelled to the Malabar Coast just decades after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He suggested that despite this heritage, the proposed amendments threaten the autonomy of Christian institutions by permitting government-appointed authorities to assume control of their assets.

The bill itself seeks to establish a “Designated Authority” that would manage foreign contributions and assets created using such funds whenever an organisation’s FCRA registration ceases.

Importantly, the legislation specifies that if the assets include a place of worship, the authority must ensure that its religious character is preserved. This clause appears designed to address concerns about interference in religious practice, though critics argue it does not prevent state control of property.

Another notable provision is the reduction of penalties for violations of the Act. The maximum punishment would be lowered from five years’ imprisonment to one year, signalling a softer approach to enforcement even as the government expands its powers of oversight.

Supporters of the bill argue that this balance reflects an effort to regulate foreign funding without imposing excessive criminal liability.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has reported that between 2019 and 2022, 13,520 organisations received foreign contributions amounting to ₹55,741 crore. As of 15 July 2026, the FCRA portal shows 14,449 active certificates, 22,498 cancelled, and 15,212 deemed expired. These figures highlight the scale of foreign funding in India and the potential reach of the proposed amendments.

Civil society groups and international observers have expressed concern that the bill could be used to target minority institutions, particularly Christian and Muslim organisations, by vesting their assets in the state.

Policy briefs from international watchdogs have warned that the legislation represents a sweeping expansion of government authority, with provisions that may even apply retrospectively to assets of organisations that ceased operations before the bill’s passage. Critics argue that this undermines due process, as asset transfers could occur without judicial oversight.

The Modi government is expected to introduce the bill in the Lok Sabha during the current session. While supporters frame it as a necessary safeguard against misuse of foreign funds, opponents see it as a tool of political repression.

The controversy has already drawn international attention, with US lawmakers and advocacy groups warning that the measure could damage India’s reputation as a democracy and complicate its strategic partnership with Washington.

Agencies

Comments

Continue Reading

'Propaganda On India': MEA Firmly Rejects USCIRF Report On Religious Freedom In India

New Delhi: India on Thursday rejected the report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom that accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "reinforcing discriminatory nationalist policies" and said the organisation is completely 'biased' and it doesn't even expect from the organization to understand country's diverse, pluralistic and democratic ethos.

"The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is known as a biased organization with a political agenda. They continue to publish their propaganda on India masquerading as part of an annual report," Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a press briefing on Thursday.

"We really have no expectation that USCIRF will even seek to understand India's diverse, pluralistic and democratic ethos. Their efforts to interfere in the largest electoral exercise of the world will never succeed," he added.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is a U.S. federal government commission created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the leadership of both political parties in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Earlier on Wednesday, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) which alleged that last year, Indian government failed to address communal violence disproportionately affecting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Jews, and Adivasis (indigenous peoples).

"In 2023, religious freedom conditions in India continued to deteriorate. The government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reinforced discriminatory nationalist policies, perpetuated hateful rhetoric, and failed to address communal violence disproportionately affecting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Jews, and Adivasis (indigenous peoples). Continued enforcement of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and anti-conversion and cow slaughter laws resulted in the arbitrary detention, monitoring, and targeting of religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf," the report said.

"Both news media and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reporting on religious minorities were subjected to strict monitoring under FCRA regulations. In February 2023, India's Ministry of Home Affairs suspended the FCRA license of the Centre for Policy Research, an NGO dedicated to reporting on social issues and state capacity, including discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities. Similarly, authorities raided the offices and homes of NewsClick journalists, including Teesta Setalvad for her reporting on anti-Muslim violence during the 2002 Gujarat riots," it added.

This report is auto-generated from a syndicated feed

Comments

Continue Reading

NGO At UNHRC Praises Indian Govt For Recognising Development, Human Rights

Geneva: Rajasthan Samgrah Kalyan Sansthan (RSKS), an Indian NGO, informed the United Nations about the Government of India’s recognition of development, human rights and commitment towards gender equality.

In his intervention during the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, Hansraj Singh of RSKS said, “Human rights are the bedrock of justice, dignity, and progress for all, and their preservation is not a choice but an imperative. When human rights are trampled upon, societies descend into turmoil.”

“Human suffering deepens, trust erodes, and the social fabric frays. Violations of these fundamental rights lead to cycles of poverty, conflict, and instability. It is our collective responsibility to prevent such calamities,” he added.

Hansraj said that Rajasthan Samgrah Kalyan Sansthan works on human rights through various mass awareness initiatives which enable people to understand that why human rights are important for everyone regardless of the borders.

Through grassroots initiatives, he said the NGO empowers individuals, especially women and children, so that they can understand their rights in a better way and also raise their voices if they are unattended or denied their rights. It also enables them to respect each other and together build an inclusive society.

“Precautionary steps are also taken by the Indian Government as it recognizes the relation between human rights and development. Initiatives like the National Human Rights Commission and various social welfare schemes show India's dedication to safeguarding the rights and dignity of its citizens,” said Hansraj.

He told the UNHRC that India's commitment to gender equality showcases its commitment to human rights principles.

“The preservation of human rights is not a mere aspiration but a global imperative. Every step taken every day could have the power to change the mindsets and bring us all together to work for human rights. Let us unite for protection of human rights to build a world where dignity, equality, and justice prevail for all,” he said.

Comments

Continue Reading

Time To Counter The Vicious Anti-India Propaganda

Western NGOs have to be extremely biased to place India behind Pakistan and ac on indices such as academic and press freedom

by Nitin Mehta

In an age where social media dominates our lives it is imperative for India to wake up to the challenges it faces. India is the target of an unprecedented propaganda war and it seems that it has neither the will nor the appetite to fight this vicious assault on the country. It is not enough to laugh it off or dismiss this aggression hoping that it will go away. The World Freedom Index or so called, “Reporters Without Borders” in its May 2023 report has put India below Pakistan and Afghanistan in terms of press freedom. Then there is the “World Happiness Index 2023”, which lists India at number 136 behind Sri Lanka. The Global Hunger Index lists India at number 107 out of 121 countries. The Swedish based NGO, V-Dem Institute has put India behind Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan in the field of academic freedom.

Let us look at each of these institutions and investigate who the players are behind these forces.

WORLD FREEDOM INDEX OR REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS

Dr Dan Steinbock, an internationally recognised strategist of the multipolar world and the founder of Difference Group who has served at the India, China and America Institute (USA), Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Centre (Singapore), has the following to say about Reporters Without Borders (RSF): “For years, the Press Freedom Index also known as the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has been widely quoted, even though its methodology is biased. RSF was, for long led, by a white supremacist with a penchant for US-led regime change. Now RSF is targeting Asia. RSF has cherished odd bedfellows. Amid the 2002 coup against Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, the RSF sided with the plotters, as it did in the coups against Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Manuel Zelaya in Honduras, and Evo Morales in Bolivia. According to critics the RSF has cooperated and coordinated with the US State Department against Cuba, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. The regime-change activities were funded by USAID Cuba Program, Freedom of Information Initiatives and the NEDA. In return, the Bush administration funded RSF and like-minded NGOs. In 2007 RSF justified the Iraq invasion. Similar joint interests mark RSF activities in the Middle East (Libya, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan). (NEDA or National Endowment for Democracy was originally set up in 1983 during the Reagan presidency. Its function was to take over the political regime change programmes from the CIA by presenting itself as an independent and private non-governmental organisation).”

BIASED METHODS, FUNDERS’ AGENDAS

RSF’s total budget is 6.1 million euros. It funds only 20% of its activities internally. Over 40% is based on “institutional grants” (French foreign ministry, French defence ministry), whereas 35% stems from “private foundations and NGOs” (e.g., NEDA, Ford Foundation) and “corporate and individual donations” (e.g., American Express, French bank Société Générale). Through their funding, billionaires, including George Soros via his Open Society and Pierre Omidyar, have indirectly shaped RSF activities. In return for French and US funds, the RSF has been largely silent about media abuses in France and the West.

Behind the official facades, the RSF’s index (World Press Freedom Index) has attracted much controversy. As it should. It is something of a racket. Officially the WPFI “is determined by pooling the responses of experts to a questionnaire devised by RSF”. The questionnaire presumably evaluates very broad criteria, such as “pluralism, media independence, and self-censorship”. The qualitative analysis is augmented with quantitative data on abuses and acts of violence against journalists. Moreover, when a limited sample of some 150 journalists and 18 NGOs are asked to analyse and respond to 87 questions for each country, the probability of biases and thus disconnect with realities increases accordingly. RSF and its sponsors have politicised and weaponised its mandate, methodology, targets and objectives.

THE WORLD HAPPINESS INDEX

This organisation fails to acknowledge how cultural differences shape your happiness. How can one reasonably conclude that country A is happier than country B when happiness is being measured by the way people in country A think about happiness? In India, community, family, and spirituality are significant contributors to happiness. Indian society is built on a strong sense of community and social support, which is not captured in the survey.

Why does Finland, which has been given the status of the happiest nation, have a high suicide rate? The giveaway is in the professed aim of the WHI Index. It says their goal is to realise a world with freedom, consciousness and happiness for all. For them, India, the world’s largest democracy, has less freedom than Sri Lanka, which is in political turmoil and bankrupt.

THE GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX

This organisation lists India at number 107 out of 121 countries. This despite the fact that India has rolled out the world’s largest food aid program. It has been highly praised by the World Bank for its efficiency. There is no mass starvation in India and poverty fell in India from 22.5% to 10%. The founders of GHI is Concern Worldwide. It is Ireland’s largest aid and humanitarian agency. Some of its employees overseas were dismissed due to sexual misconduct.

SWEDISH V-DEM

Th V-Dem NGO from Sweden has put India behind Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan in the field of academic freedom. V-Dem lists 5 indexes to measure the level of democracy in a country. They are: The electoral democracy index, the liberal democracy index, the participatory democracy index, the deliberative democracy index and the egalitarian democracy index.

Going by these indices, V-Dem has to be extremely biased to place India behind Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan. It is axiomatic that V-Dem is agenda driven and anti India to the core. Not surprisingly, it too is funded by George Soros.

CONCLUSION

The relentless propaganda against India has reached a crescendo. They are desperate to remove a party which champions the Hindu heritage of the country. India must wake up to these destabilising forces. The perception of India in spite of its amazing economic progress and military might is that it is weak and can easily be pushed around. This perception needs to change urgently. Indian embassies all over the world have PR departments. Why don’t they ever respond to malicious propaganda by media houses in the UK, Germany and some other countries that are so small that they are like a mouse roaring at a lion? In the Ramayana, when the time came for Hanuman to cross the ocean to go to Lanka he was engulfed with self-doubt. It was when everyone reminded him of his strength that Hanuman was motivated. Perhaps India also needs to be reminded of its might.

Comments

Continue Reading

Indian NGO Gives Message of Women Empowerment At UNHRC

Geneva: An Indian NGO, Rajasthan Samgrah Kalyan Sansthan (RSKS) has given a message of empowerment of girls and women to the world during the ongoing 52nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday.

Hansraj Singh who represented the Ajmer-based Rajasthan Samgrah Kalyan Sansthan (RSKS) during his intervention said that investing in women's economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth.

For three decades, the NGO is working successfully for the empowerment of girls and women belonging to the marginalized communities of India.

"In the heart of all our programs there are women and girls and for us, the empowerment of women and girls means that they must be able to speak freely in their community, have no restrictions on travelling, have leadership quality, have decision-making power, become financially literate, become self-reliant, be educated and through all this, they would be able to show their true potential and would lead to country's growth and this is the reason why there is a magnificent increase in promotion of girl child education and women empowerment in the recent years by the Indian government," he told the Council.

He added: "We are having different sustainable livelihood programs in both farming and non-farming sectors, life skills and capacity building training, financial literacy and inclusion workshops, value-based schools, sexual and reproductive health camps, self-help groups, joint liability groups, sports and entrepreneurship development programs and mass awareness against social evils programs and we have set up a goal of reaching one million women and girls by 2030 which would contribute towards different SDGs of United Nations".

Hansraj said: "Empowering marginalized women to earn their own steady income means that they will be able to provide food, clothing, and other basic necessities and education for their children and other family members. So, this is our urge to everyone around the world to understand the importance of women and girls for society and we should all together build a law which would be providing equal opportunities from the ground to the top level at every work and workplace at every part of the world."

"What we think which must be a thought in everyone's mind that sister is the pride of our life, daughter is the biggest blessing and mother is the true love which brings us in the world," he added.

Comments

Continue Reading

George Soros’ Open Foundation-Backed Ngo Behind Complaint Seeking Investigation Into Rafale Deal

Sherpa Association lists George Soros' Foundations as one of its five benefactors in a statement

Amid philanthropist-financier George Soros' attack on the Modi government for the Adani-Hindenburg crisis, there has been a new revelation. French NGO Sherpa Association, which filed a corruption accusation with France's national financial prosecutor in 2018 against the 36-aircraft Rafale contract with India is backed by Open Society Foundations. It was founded by Soros in 1984.

"We filed a complaint with the national financial prosecutor's office in Paris in order to clarify the conditions surrounding the sale of 36 Rafale plane by #Dassault Aviation to India in 2016," Sherpa Association tweeted on November 23, 2018.

According to Sherpa, their complaint alleging "possible acts of corruption" was prompted by an article by the French investigative website Mediapart.

Sherpa Association lists George Soros' Foundations as one of its five benefactors in a statement.

As per George Soros' Open Society Foundations, the staff strives to "help promote the values of justice, democracy, and human rights" in over 120 nations worldwide.

Soros said on Thursday, ahead of the 2023 Munich Security Conference, that PM Modi "must answer questions" before foreign investors and Parliament about allegations of fraud and market manipulation against the billionaire's enterprises.

Soros, who has an estimated net worth of $.8.5 billion, believes that the recent turmoil in Gautam Adani's business empire, which has sparked a punishing stock market selloff and shaken investor confidence in India as an investment opportunity, may pave the way for a democratic revival in the country.

Union minister Smriti Irani slammed billionaire-philanthropist George Soros for his comments on the Adani-Hindenburg scandal and the Narendra Modi government.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench denied a petition seeking an investigation into the India-France deal for 36 Rafale fighter planes. The panel, which was chaired by former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said there was no commercial favouritism and occasion to "seriously mistrust the decision-making process".

On November 14, 2019, the Supreme Court again denied all petitions seeking a reconsideration of its Rafale decision.

As per the French investigative website Mediapart, a French judge has been selected to conduct a "very sensitive" court investigation into alleged "corruption and favouritism" in the Rs 59,000 crore Rafale fighter jet sale with India.

This report prompted the Congress to request that the Narendra Modi government establish a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the Rafale purchase.

Comments

Continue Reading

'Some NGOs Propagating Anti-India Activities,' Says Amit Shah

Amit Shah said a new draft of the Indian Penal Code will be presented soon in Parliament

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today justified the cancellation of licences for many non-government organisations (NGO) and strengthening of the Foreigners Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) on grounds that some NGOs were indulging in religious conversions, anti-national activities and misusing funds.

"Some NGOs were misusing FCRA in propagating anti-India activities and also indulging in religious conversions blatantly, creating hurdles in the development of the country. Centre has taken strong action against such entities," Mr Shah said on the first day of the two-day brain storming session in Surajkund, Haryana, today.

Chief Ministers, Home Ministers and state police chiefs are taking part in this 'Chintan Shivir', chaired by the Union Home Minister.

"In 2020, the government took strong action to stop foreign funding of such NGOs by amending the FCRA. We have established a strong mechanism to check such flow of money. I am pleased to say that in the coming days, we will further strengthen this mechanism ," he said.

On a day when the conclave was skipped by four Chief Ministers, Mr Shah announced that by 2024, all states will have offices of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The statement may lead to a fresh round of political confrontation between states and the centre as many opposition-ruled states have been accusing the centre of not following the federal structure and interfering with the functioning of state governments.

The Union Home Minister reasoned that even though law and order is a state subject, crimes have become borderless due to the advancement of technology and success can be achieved against trans-border criminal activities only if all states and the central government sit together and formulate a common strategy.

The stated purpose of this Chintan Shivir is to prepare an action plan for the implementation of 'Vision 2047' and Panch Pran, announced in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech.

The Union Home Minister further said that a large number of proposals to amend Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Code of Criminal Procedures (CrPC) have been received and those were being analysed.

"We will shortly present a new draft of the CrPC and IPC before the Parliament," he added.

Comments

Continue Reading

Agnipath File A ‘Secret’, Cannot Share Info: Defence Ministry Reply On RTI

The reason for denying the information sought by Pune-based RTI activist, Vihar Durve, is not covered under sections 8 and 9 of the transparency law, according to RTI experts. Sections 8 and 9 list provisions under which information can be denied.

The defence ministry has refused to share details about the Agnipath scheme for military recruitment under the RTI

The defence ministry has refused to share details about the Agnipath scheme for military recruitment under the Right to Information (RTI), saying the file has been marked “secret”, according to a ministry letter.

The reason for denying the information sought by Pune-based RTI activist, Vihar Durve, is not covered under sections 8 and 9 of the transparency law, according to RTI experts. Sections 8 and 9 list provisions under which information can be denied.

On July 14, 2022, defence minister Rajnath Singh announced in a press conference the introduction of military recruitment scheme, Agnipath, in which 46,000 personnel would be hired in December 2022 and February 2023.

One-fourth of the Agniveers (recruits), who will get a monthly salary of ₹30,000 in the first year and ₹40,000 in the fourth year, would be selected for permanent commission in the armed forces. At the end of the four-year contract, Agniveers will get a corpus of ₹11 lakh, which the government said would help them create self-employment avenues or pursue higher education. The central paramilitary forces and Assam Rifles assured 10% job opportunities for Agniveers.

As the scheme was publicly announced, Durve sought information on the inter-ministerial deliberations and reasons for introducing it to replace the existing recruitment scheme, which provided for a longer period of employment. In his RTI application dated July 23, 2022, Durve asked about the discussions regarding the pay packages and allowances for recruits under the scheme.

As the information officer of the department of military affairs denied giving the information about the scheme, which the defence ministry implemented from first week of August by conducing recruitment for armed forces in different parts of the country, Durve filed the first appeal with the department saying the information has been denied to him wrongly.

“The information is wrongly denied as files marked as secret cannot be a reason for denying information,” Durve said. He filed an appeal against the denial of information with the first appellate authority, Abhimany Sahoo, in the defence ministry.

Responding to his first appeal filed on August 17, Sahoo said the information has been rightly denied.

“I had gone through your aforesaid 1st RTI appeal and the information provided by the CPIO dated 29th July, 2022 with respect to your RTI application dated 11th July, 2022. In this connection, it is informed that the file on Agnipath Scheme approval has been classified as SECRET. Therefore, the response of the CPIO is in order,” he said.

India’s first chief information commissioner Wajahat Habibullah said the classification as “confidential” or “secret” is an internal procedure of the department and cannot be used to deny information as this procedure is not mentioned under sections 8 and 9 of the RTI Act.

“The information officer should have cited the specific RTI law section to deny information. Applying ‘secret’ as a reason shows that the ministry is not keen to share the reasons for starting such an important scheme,” he said.

Comments

Continue Reading

Infrastructure​​​​​​​, Credit And Aid, India Reaches Out To The Neighbourhood

On Wednesday, India extended a $500 million line of credit to Sri Lanka for the purchase of petroleum products. The pact was signed between India's Export Import Bank (EXIM) and the Sri Lankan government in the presence of Sri Lankan finance minister Basil Rajapaksa and Indian envoy to the country, Gopal Baglay.

From infrastructure to credit, India has reached out to its neighbours from Nepal to Sri Lanka in a number of ways.

On Tuesday, India and Nepal signed a MoU for the construction of a motorable bridge over the Mahakali River with Indian grant assistance.

The MoU was signed between the Indian envoy to Nepal, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, and the Secretary, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Government of Nepal, Rabindra Nath Shrestha, and connects Dharchula (India) with Darchula (Nepal).

The project will increase cross-border connectivity between Nepal's Sudurpaschim province and India's Uttarakhand even as construction is set to commence soon.

As of now, traditional means, including suspensions, are used to go to either side, which obviously is not a very safe option. The Indian mission in Nepal said in a statement, "This is in line with the priority shared by both the governments to expand cross-border connectivity for streamlining commercial, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges."

On Wednesday, India extended a $500 million line of credit to Sri Lanka for the purchase of petroleum products. The pact was signed between India's Export Import Bank (EXIM) and the Sri Lankan government in the presence of Sri Lankan finance minister Basil Rajapaksa and Indian envoy to the country, Gopal Baglay.

In a release, the Indian mission in the country said, "As Sri Lanka’s closest neighbour and long-standing partner, India is committed to assisting Sri Lanka in its post-Covid economic recovery." The development comes even as the Sri Lankan finance minister and Indian external affairs minister spoke last month and New Delhi continues with its foreign exchange support of over USD 900 million to the country. India's overall development assistance to Sri Lanka stands at close to USD 4 billion.

Wednesday also saw the opening of an artificial limb camp in the country, which is supported by the Indian government and the Indian NGO Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), well known for the distribution of Jaipur feet. The NGO, which is the world's largest organisation for providing artificial limbs and other related aids, had in the past organised 2 camps in Sri Lanka, one in Vavuniya in March-April 2010 and later in Jaffna in September 2011. More than 2500 people had benefited from these camps at the time, with over 1600 receiving the "Jaipur Foot."

Meanwhile, next week will see India begin to send 50,000 MT of wheat as humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Afghan Envoy to India, Farid Mamundzay, has said that New Delhi will start delivering the promised wheat support to the Afghan people between February 10th and 12th.

He said, "India is going to deliver 50,000 MT of wheat in the next week or two, and is going to start delivery, which should be completed by months' time."

Pakistan has given all the assurances that we, the Afghan side and India, required to start the delivery of ​operation".

New Delhi has already sent 6 tonnes of medical supplies and half a million COVID vaccines to Afghan people in the last 6 weeks. In its budget announcement on February 1, India allocated Rs 200 crore to Afghanistan, even as the country has seen a Taliban takeover.

Comments

Continue Reading

Hamid Ansari, Swara Bhaskar Attend Event Co-Hosted By Anti-India Groups Which Had Tried To Get India Blacklisted

Hamid Ansari and Swara Bhaskar have participated in an IAMC funded event in the USA

Former Vice President Hamid Ansari, Actress Swara Bhasker, Archbishop Peter Machado among others are invited in an event titled ‘Protecting India’s Pluralist Constitution’ on the eve of Indian Republic day, January 26 at 10:30 PM IST. The online event which is touted as a ‘Special Congressional Briefing’ also includes Senator Ed Markey from Massachusetts, Rep. Jim McGovern, Rep. Andy Levin, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Former President of Mauritius and Nadine Maenza who chairs the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) among several others. The virtual event is hosted by 17 US-based rights organizations including Amnesty International (USA), Genocide Watch, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council among others.

Former VP Ansari & Actor Swara Bhaskar participating in an event by IAMC to ‘save pluralism’ on #RepublicDay

They may not know:

IAMC paid money to get India black-list by the US is linked with Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) &

Linked with the fraud in name of Covid crisis

A thread: pic.twitter.com/DslEr3QFJs

— DisInfo Lab (@DisinfoLab) January 26, 2022

The ‘rights groups’ based in the USA responsible for hosting this event are infamous for targeting India many times for its sovereign decisions. The groups have not only lobbied against India for acts passed in the parliament democratically, but they also constantly engage in the discourse which is anti-Indian and Hinduphobic in nature. The Indian American Muslim Council is also responsible for hosting and promoting this event. It is the same radical Islamist group that has alleged links with banned terror organizations such as the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). The Islamist organisation has often misrepresented facts and ignored ground realities, to undermine India’s secular judicial system by calling for separate minority courts.

According to a recent expose done by DisInfo Lab, The IAMC has allegedly paid money to lobby groups in the USA to get India black-listed by the USCIRF (United States Commission on International Religious Freedom). DisInfo Lab has also alleged that the group has also open links with terror outfit Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI). It is learnt that IAMC founder Shaik Ubaid has earlier collected funds ‘to stop the genocide of genocide of Muslims in Burma.’ With the help of Fidelis Government Relations (FGR) and First Principles Strategies, the IAMC has raised a total of US $ 4,12,000 to promote sanction legislation on Burma, China and India on ‘issues related to human rights'.

It is also important to note that FGR head Terry Allen happens to be a long time associate of Nadine Maenza the USCIRF Chair who is also participating in the event. IAMC has taken repeated stances against the ruling Indian government to fight ‘civil rights and liberty issues in India’ to reaffirm the ‘rights of religious minorities’. However, contrary to its claim, the organisation was found lobbying against India in 2013 as well – a year before the current dispersion of the BJP came to power in 2014.

The interlinking of IAMC with other organisations throws light on its direct and indirect linkages with terror organizations and radical Islamist outfits. IAMC founder Shaik Ubaid and member Abdul Malik Mujahid have headed the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), the US front for Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan. According to DisInfo Lab, ICNA has established links with Pakistan based terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Rasheed Ahmed, who heads the IAMC currently was former executive director of the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA). IMANA’s director of Operations is Zahid Mahmood an ex-Pak Navy official.

It is also the case when individual members of IAMC have been vocal supporters of the Taliban including Kaleem Kawaja who had given a call, ‘Brother, you can spare a tear for Taliban’. To remember, IAMC was caught spreading fake news in India to incite communal violence. The organisation was slammed with UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) in 2021. With the participation of Swara Bhasker and Hamid Ansari, local voices have amplified the causes of IAMC and others to peddle the narrative of ‘minorities under threat’ in India.

Comments

Continue Reading

Four Nabbed In Jodhpur For Preparing Forged Documents For Pakistan Immigrants

Investigation revealed that the accused colluded to get the documents like sponsor certificate, identity card and residential certificate for the visa

Two accused are relatives while two others include a student and an employee of an NGO.

Four persons have been arrested here for allegedly preparing forged documents for Pakistan citizens in order to get them Indian visas, police said.

Two accused are relatives while two others include a student and an employee of an NGO.

A case was registered on the directions of a CID inspector, who had conducted an inquiry into a complaint against them by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs last month.

“In the investigation, Narendra alias Nemaram Tak, Sohel Rohani, Chiranjit alias Ashok Meghwal and Shital Bheel were found guilty of preparing forged documents. We have arrested them on Tuesday evening," a senior police official said.

Investigation revealed that the accused colluded to get the documents like sponsor certificate, identity card and residential certificate for the visas for Pakistan citizens willing to come to India, police said.

For the attestation, they fabricated the signature of a teacher Gautam Puri, the police said.

"During investigation, we found that Puri had no idea about this attestation in his name and he was not aware of his name being used in fabrication of documents for this purpose”, said the officer associated with the investigation adding that a third class teacher does not fall into the category of a gazetted officer, thus ineligible for such attestations.

Of the four accused, Sohel and Chiranjiv worked as a typist in the High Court premises here and had charged Rs 500 for preparing forged documents for 11 Pak citizens so far, the officer said.

Sohle and Chirinjiv are relatives and were working as agents to prepare Visas for willing Pakistani citizens.

As per the procedure, a Pakistan citizen has to submit his documents to the Indian High commission in Pakistan for a visa for India. For this, there is the requirement of a sponsor or guarantor from India. This sponsor certificate has to be attested by a gazetted officer. This certificate is then annexed with the visa documents to obtain a visa for India.

Comments

Continue Reading

Pakistan Takes NGO Route For Exporting Terror To India

Financial irregularities were also found in JKCCS' dealing with other agencies. Several fake NGOs were opened under JKCCS which were used as additional avenues for receiving foreign funds

Notwithstanding Pakistan's efforts towards manipulating global civil society and human rights organisations into indirectly supporting secessionist movements in India, the financial trails and other digital evidence play spoilsport to its designs.

A glaring case in point is that of Khurram Parvez who through his organisation called Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) worked as a Pakistani conduit for close to two decades, aiding in recruiting local Kashmiris as militants and financing them.

After combing through heaps of incriminating evidence, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the agency responsible for probing terrorist activities in India, arrested Khurram Parvez on November 22, 2021. The arrest followed day-long search at his house and the JKCCS office in Srinagar.

The recoveries included anti-India propaganda materials, details about Indian Army, sensitive locations, strategic assets, visiting cards of leaders of Pak-based terrorist organisations, including Hizbul Mujahidin (HM).

The seizures further revealed the lead role Parvez played over the years in recruiting Indian operatives/over ground workers (OGWs) for Pak-based terrorist groups. Involvement of these operatives in espionage of Army installations, identification of potential locations for attacks in India are also being probed by the NIA. Some of these operatives were reportedly tasked to hire more associates in various states of India, including J&K, West Bengal, Bihar and Delhi.

The investigations have exposed the rampant use of several so-called non-governmental organisations (NGOs)/ trusts for raising/receiving funds in India and abroad in the name of charitable activities and using the same for carrying out secessionist and terror activities in J&K.

Operating under the garb of a human rights champion in J&K, Parvez used to prey on gullible Kashmiri youth and push them into subversive anti-India activities by providing financial incentives through these shady NGOs.

The modus operandi also involved several front organisations, mostly operating in violation of laws of the land. JKCCS was found to have no registration under FCRA (Foreign Channels Regulations Act) of India. This lack of regulatory oversight facilitated its access to money from abroad to aid terrorist activities.

Several fake NGOs were opened under JKCCS which were used as additional avenues for receiving foreign funds and managing black money. One such organisation named Kashmiri Women's Initiative for Peace and Disarmament (KWIPD) did not even exist on ground.

Similarly, the Aasia Jeelani Trust was mostly used for receiving dubious funds ostensibly as donations. Money laundering activities were apparently undertaken through these entities on the pretext of fake scholarships. Parvez's wife, Samina, also helped in managing terror money allegedly through her organisation 'Action Aid International'.

Financial irregularities were also found in JKCCS' dealing with other agencies. Sensing financial impropriety by JKCCS, several European funding organisations had even stopped dealing with it.

Another effective channel used by Parvez for managing unaccounted foreign money to fuel separatism in India was through publications and media agencies, including magazines like The Informative Misses, Unheard Voices, reports like Structures of Violence and a documentary film titled 'A Quest for Justice'.

Following Parvez's arrest, Pakistani agencies have been approaching international human rights agencies appealing for his release. Pakistan's support for Parvez is understandable as he had made his fortune serving their interests by luring innocent Kashmiri youth into militancy, including their killing in clashes with security forces on the directions of Pakistani agencies and preparing human rights violation reports to be touted by his Pakistani handlers at international fora to target India.

Considering the huge amount of data collected from digital devices during the raid, the NIA is expected to take time in completing the investigations. Several new disclosures indicating inside support for Parvez and his NGO from Indian actors cannot be ruled out.

However, Parvez's case clearly underlines the need for greater scrutiny on the functioning of NGOs and media houses, particularly those which are thriving despite lacking a viable revenue model.

It is perhaps the existence of NGOs like JKCCS which under a humane pretext of 'human rights' continue to vitiate the minds of innocent Kashmiri youth and make durable and lasting peace in J&K difficult to achieve.

Comments

Continue Reading

Maharashtra NGO To Adopt CDS Gen Rawat's Ancestral Village

A Maharashtra-based NGO is in the process of adopting the ancestral village of Gen Bipin Rawat, India's first Chief of Defence Staff who was killed in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu earlier this month.

The Latur-based Dr. Harivanshrai Bachchan Prabodhan Pratishthan (HBPP) has been granted permission by the Pauri Garhwal district authorities to carry out development activities in Saina village, which lacks proper road connectivity.

HBPP founder Nivrutti Yadav said he would visit Saina village next week to get an understanding of the terrain and plan development activities there.

Yadav told PTI that HBPP will use its own resources and seek help from the government in setting up health and education facilities, build roads and also reach out to farmers.

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat told PTI that the process of adopting the village by HBPP has been set in motion.

Representatives of the NGO will visit the Saina village and draft a plan on the development activities to be carried out there, he said.

Rawat said he had written to the District Magistrate to apprise him of HBPP’s intention to carry out development work in the village.

In a letter to the HBPP founder, District Magistrate Vijay Kumar Jogdande said, "...you have been granted permission to undertake development activities, as per rules, in Saina in Pauri Garhwal, the ancestral village of the brave son of the nation General Bipin Rawat."

According to Yadav, HBPP has been carrying out social activities for the past 18 years and had also sent relief material to Uttarakhand during the 2013 Kedarnath floods.

Comments

Continue Reading

UN Experts Ask India Again To Release Kashmir Human Rights Activist Khurram Parvez

The United Nations experts and international human rights organisations in a fresh move have sought the release of human rights activist Khurram Parvez and asked the central government to immediately release him and ensure his rights to liberty and security.

In its latest statement issued by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (HRD) said that UN human rights experts urged the Indian authorities to stop targeting Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez.

Tweeting the statement Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders said, “We are concerned that 1 month after Mr. Parvez’s arrest, he is still deprived of liberty in what appears to be a new incident of retaliation for his legitimate activities as a Human Rights Defender.”

Earlier on November 23, Mary Lawlor while seeking Parvez’s release had said, “He’s not a terrorist, he’s a Human Rights Defender.”

The fresh statement issued on Wednesday evening said Parvez has worked extensively to document serious human rights violations, including enforced disappearances and unlawful killings, in Jammu and Kashmir. “In his search for accountability, Mr. Parvez has been the victim of a number of incidents of reprisals reportedly for sharing this information with the United Nations, as documented in various reports of the Secretary-General and communications from UN special procedures mandate holders,” the statement said.

“We are concerned that one month after Mr. Parvez’s arrest, he is still deprived of liberty in what appears to be a new incident of retaliation for his legitimate activities as a human rights defender and because he has spoken out about violations,” the statement reads.

“In view of this context of previous reprisals, we call on the Indian authorities to immediately release him and ensure his rights to liberty and security.

Parvez, was arrested on November 22, 2021 on charges related to conspiracy and terrorism under Indian counter-terrorism legislation — the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) — is presently detained at the Rohini Jail Complex.

The latest statement by UN experts described the jail as “one of the three most overcrowded and unsanitary prisons in the country, where there is a clear and immediate risk to his health and safety, in particular from COVID-19.”

Parvez is also the chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), an international rights organisation that looks into the forced disappearances in Kashmir and elsewhere in Asia.

The United Nations and international human rights organisations have sought the release of Parvez. Kerry Kennedy, President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights has endorsed the statement of the UN Human Rights official spokesman about Parvez.

The UN experts also raised questions over the UAPA saying, “the amendment introduced in July 2019 to the UAPA, allows any individual to be designated as a “terrorist”, bypassing the requirement to establish membership or association with banned groups.” The statement said the “expansion of State agencies’ discretionary powers under the anti-terror law has resulted in a worrisome rise in the number of arrests across India – and especially in Kashmir.

It says that they regret that the government continues to use the “UAPA as a means of coercion to restrict civil society’s, the media’s and human rights defenders’ fundamental freedoms.”

“We therefore once again urge the Government to bring this legislation in line with India’s international legal obligations under human rights law,” the experts said.

Parvez is also the chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), an international rights organisation that looks into the forced disappearances in Kashmir and elsewhere in Asia.

On December 17, AFAD said, “We at AFAD are proud to announce that @KhurramParvez has been re-elected as the chairperson in the 7th Congress. He ran unopposed and was unanimously elected. We miss Khurram's presence and wise words at this time & hope to have him with us again soon.”

The World Organisation Against Torture (#OMCT) - Global network of over 200 NGOs fighting for Human Rights and against torture, had said, “We are deeply concerned about the high risk of torture while in custody. We call for his immediate release.”

Parvez has been a prominent part of the Valley’s human rights scene for the past two decades. In 2004, Khurram lost his left leg when an IED exploded under his car while he was travelling with his team to North Kashmir to monitor the election. His close colleague Aasia Jeelani died on the spot and Parvez suffered serious injuries. In 2015 he was instrumental in helping prepare a comprehensive 800-page human rights report titled ‘Structures of Violence’ which documented the extra-judicial killings of 1080 people and enforced disappearances of 172.

Comments

Continue Reading