The Union Government on Sunday introduced the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020 in the Lok Sabha to make the law more stringent and make Aadhaar mandatory for registration.
Moving the Bill on behalf of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, his junior and Minister of State of Home Nityanand Rai said this law did not breach the right of any organisation if they follow the law and do not get distracted from their purpose. “We only take action against any organisation under the rule when they do not follow the law. Where is the breach of their rights in it?.”
TMC MP Saugata Roy said, “This law has been used for the last six years against those who go against the Government,” and maintained that this was another example of “big brother watching”, a charge rejected by the Minister who said “the law does not discriminate on the basis of religion”.
Shah who to originally present the bill was not in the house which was adjourned by the speaker Om Birla for one-hour on request of Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
Citing former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram’s statement which he made at a time while bringing FCRA law on August 19, 2010, Rai said “Mr Chidambaram had mentioned in his statement that there are now around 40,000 working organisations. My biggest problem is that half of the organisations do not give details of their foreign contribution.”
Based on the Supreme Court’s judgment on Aadhaar, the minister said “we are making it mandatory for the directors of those organisations so that the government could know their identity and address. There is no discrimination in the law. All religions are being given equal rights to receive foreign donations in religious activities as per the provisions in earlier law.”
“The law does not discriminate in any religion. Our aim is to ensure that the organisations receiving foreign contribution should not distract from their purpose and their activities do not affect the country’s internal security. The money should be used for the same purpose for which it is donated,” the minister said. Now there is a provision to open accounts in State Bank of India (SBI), said Rai, along with arrangement that the organisation can open these bank accounts from their place and they do not need to come to Delhi.
Opposing the Bill, Congress leader Manish Tewari said the situation was different when the law was made in 1976 but it has changed since then.
Congress’ Leader of the House Chowdhury also raised objection against the Bill pointing to the Aadhaar issue and said the current amendment will give unnecessary power to the government.
“The annual inflow of foreign contribution has almost doubled between the years 2010 and 2019, but many recipients of foreign contribution have not utilised the same for the purpose for which they were registered or granted prior permission under the said Act,” says the Bill’s statement of objects. eom