Sule opposes FCRA Bill, says govt should not view all NGOs with suspicion

Sule said her party was not opposed to reforms but rejected the Bill in its present form, as it appeared to presume that NGOs were involved in wrongdoing or anti-India activities

MUMBAI: NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule opposed the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment (FCRA) Bill on Friday, accusing the Narendra Modi-led BJP government of viewing non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with suspicion.

Mumbai, May 23 (ANI): NCP-SCP candidate from Baramati seat Supriya Sule addresses a press conference, at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in Mumbai on Thursday. (ANI Photo) (Deepak Salvi)

Sule said her party was not opposed to reforms but rejected the Bill in its present form, as it appeared to presume that NGOs were involved in wrongdoing or anti-India activities.

Sule was in Mumbai after the conclusion of Parliament’s monsoon session, where she made the statement. Her comments came amid intense speculation over a possible reunification of the two NCP factions. One of them is led by her father Sharad Pawar and another one by Sunetra Pawar, widow of late deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash on January 28.

Sule chose to speak on the FCRA Bill, which was referred to a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee, following strong resistance from opposition parties.

She pointed out that organisations working in education and healthcare have been among the major beneficiaries of foreign funding. “For decades, there has been a well-established practice of maintaining separate records for foreign contributions – even the nationwide polio eradication drive received substantial international support. Why should everyone engaged in a noble cause be viewed with suspicion? I should not be saying this, but there have been instances where NGOs reached people in need even before the government,” she said.