Organisation barred from accepting foreign donations

A new controversy is likely to surface between the Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti and the Sanatan Sanstha over the renewal of a government permission to accept foreign donations.

A new controversy is likely to surface between the Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti and the Sanatan Sanstha over the renewal of a government permission to accept foreign donations.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had published a list of around 1,700 NGOs, who would not be allowed to accept foreign donations. The decision came after these organisations failed to submit online applications for the renewal of the permission that is required under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. The Samiti features on the list.

Sanatan Sanstha has claimed in a press release that the decision came after its activists complained about alleged financial irregularities of the Samiti. It has also congratulated Union home minister on the decision.

Mukta Dabholkar of Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti told HT that it was a conscious decision on their part to not renew permission for foreign donations.

“We never accepted foreign donations even though we had permission. It’s a people’s movement and we would like to raise funds from the country,” she said.

She added that the Samiti was supposed to submit an application in 2014. “Since we don’t want foreign donations, we did not renew the permission,” she said.