Crackdown on NGOs: Catholic charity put under govt lens

Caritas is the 17th international NGO to be put under this watch-list, the last one being Ford Foundation.

The NDA government has put one more organisation, Caritas India — an arm of Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) — under its “prior approval category”.

Caritas is the 17th international NGO to be put under this watch-list, the last one being Ford Foundation.

“Prior approval category” means that any transaction that the organisation makes through Indian banks will need clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

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A senior government official said the organisation was put under the category after its funds, given to various NGOs, were found to be involved in anti-India activities. Caritas was reportedly mentioned in the 2012 secret report prepared by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), detailing the activities of NGOs working against the economic interests of the country.

The MHA took the decision last week, after it got credible information that the NGO’s funds were being misused, a senior official said. An official also revealed that at least ten of the 17 organisation were put under the category during the UPA’s tenure.

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