NEW DELHI: Amnesty International’s plan to set up a South Asia hub in India is in jeopardy as the government has decided not to allow it to bring any funds from abroad in this regard.
Amnesty International had registered itself as a not-for-profit firm in India in May 2015 and it is separate entity from its India chapter. The objective of the company was to coordinate activities in South Asia, except India.
“On August 13 last year, Amnesty International sought permission from the government bring in Rs 18.61 crore to set-up office infrastructure in India. But we have decided not to give any permission to Amnesty International in this regard,” said a senior government official requesting anonymity.
Amnesty International didn’t respond to the development.
Besides, the government is soon asking the India chapter of Amnesty to get itself registered under the FCRA, the law that governs foreign funding of NGOs.
On government’s move to ask Amnesty India chapter to get registered under the FCRA, a spokesperson from the organisation told HT :“We have not received any notice from the government in this regard. We will respond only after get any intimation about it.”
In a review of Amnesty India’s funding, the government has found that rather than registering itself under the FCRA, the outfit has repeatedly sought one-time prior permission to bring in funds from abroad on eight occasions since 2000. But the government denied it permission four out of eight times. Significantly on last three occasions since 2012, the government has not allowed Amnesty to bring in any funds from abroad.
{{/usCountry}}In a review of Amnesty India’s funding, the government has found that rather than registering itself under the FCRA, the outfit has repeatedly sought one-time prior permission to bring in funds from abroad on eight occasions since 2000. But the government denied it permission four out of eight times. Significantly on last three occasions since 2012, the government has not allowed Amnesty to bring in any funds from abroad.
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