New Delhi, Jan 11 : Christian leaders have told the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee and the Law Minister, Mr. Arun Jaitely, that restrictions that the government has mooted on foreign funds for NGOs and minority groups will seriously affect the education, health and social development sectors.
These apprehensions were conveyed to the Prime minister by church leaders who were invited to the Prime minister's house on Thursday, 6th December evening, following the recent legislation removing gender bias in inheritance laws of the Christian community.
All India Christian Council in its written memorandum and Delhi Methodist Bishop, Nimrod Christian, in his speech told the Prime Minister of apprehensions in the community which runs about 40,000 educational and other institutions in the country. The Council described the proposed legislation on foreign contributions as a `Financial POTO'. Although the Bill has been deferred and not introduced in the current session of parliament, several union ministers have been quoted by the media spelling out the draconian provisions of the bill.
Minority groups fears that the proposed laws give state governments and district collectors extraordinary powers that can be misused under political and communal pressure. Provisions for registration of NGOs and groups every five years will also severely affect continuation of educational and health projects, the prime minister was told. Statements were also presented to the prime minister on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference, and the Anglo Indian Community.
The following is the substantive portion of the text of the Memorandum submitted to the Prime minister by the All India Christian Council. The letter was signed by council President Dr Joseph D Souza and secretary general Dr John Dayal:
"Two major and antiquated personal laws still remain to be updated and made gender-friendly. These relate first to the law on Marriage, which is still to be put before Parliament. The other is on adoption. As you are aware, Christians cannot adopt children in India. We hope the government will soon bring forward legislation to incorporate the demands of the Christian community.
We take this opportunity to draw your attention to the apprehensions in the community on the proposed legislation to replace or amend the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act. The text of the proposed legislation has not been made available to us so far, but various Union ministers have spoken about it in public. Their statements have created justifiable anxiety among the Christian community, who seem to be a major target of the bill. The Council requests the Hon'ble Prime Minister to clarify the position and reassure the minorities. We feel there is absolutely no need of bringing any further regulations in this regard as the existing provisions are even by themselves much too harsh and have hindered much sincere social work. It would seem the proposed FCRA changes are the financial equivalent of the POTO designed to hit out at all charitable and development work.
The Government has many provisions in the laws both of the Centre and of the states to crack down on anyone misusing foreign funds, or anyone involved in anti national and criminal activity. This has been amply demonstrated in the recent debates in Parliament.
You are aware of the deliberate campaign of disinformation that has been carried out in certain quarters against the Christian clergy and NGOs alleging that the money received from foreign is being used for conversions. No state government has been able to adduce any evidence of this, nor has this charge been proved in any court of law. An impression is also given as if it is only the Christians who get most of the foreign funds. We think it is not proper to isolate any community, be it the Muslims or the Christians or the Buddhists, on the issue of foreign funds without also saying that other religious groups also receive foreign money.
Government sources have been reported as saying about Rs. 4,000 crores are coming in from abroad as aid or donations. Among the recipients are major Hindu organisations as well as ordinary NGOs and organizations connected with the Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and other communities. The real picture will emerge if the Government publishes a White Paper on the entire issue of the foreign donations and funding. We and the nation would like to know which organisations are getting funds, where are the funds being spent, which organisations are misusing the funds or indulging in criminal activities. Only a White Paper will clarify the real position.
The people of our nation know the social work that the Christian community has done in the last 150 years. They have opened schools and brought education to the deepest areas. Christians run hospitals and dispensaries where even government doctors and nurses refuse to go. There are over 40,000 educational and Medicare institutions being run by the community in various parts of the country. Over 40 lakh students pass through Christian schools, colleges and training institutions. How many of them are converted? Perhaps not one. But these students emerge out of Christian schools as law abiding and patriotic Indian citizens ready to contribute to nation building.
A majority of the students who study in Christian schools are non-Christians. Similarly most of the staff is of other communities. The Christian hospitals serve each and everyone without reference to religion, caste or creed, in tribal areas, among Dalits and the poorest of the poor, patients of AIDS and leprosy,
We do not think it will be for the good of the nation if this work is allowed to suffer for want of funds. It would seem as if the government is deliberately curbing charitable work and empowerment activities from the poorest of the poor. A democratic government must not restrict aid coming in through the non-profit organisational sector that is severely needed by the Dalits, the poor and other sections of the community.
We feel it is time that the FCRA bill was completely repealed. Christian developmental agencies and other groups must be encouraged to work among the needy areas and people of the nation. True nationalism lies in taking care of the developmental needs of the poor, the backward, the tribals and the Dalits and not in just shouting slogans and religious hate and extremism.
We hope you will accept our two demands, which are:
1. Issue a White Paper on all foreign funds received by India organisations, groups and NGOs, how these funds are being utilized, and list of those misusing these funds.
2. Repeal the existing FCRA, and drop the proposed bill.