NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry on Thursday revoked FCRA licence of four NGOs including Anhad ((Act Now for Harmony and Democracy), run by Shabnam Hashmi, for “undesirable activities against public interest”.
The curb means Anhad and three others – Marwar Muslim Educational and Welfare Society, Gujarat based Navsarjan Trust and Rural Development Research Center -- cannot receive foreign funds.
Home Ministry sources said the Intelligence Bureau had sent adverse reports against Anhad alleging anti-national activities and working against public interest by using foreign funds and painting the government as “anti-Dalit” abroad, besides misappropriation of funds.
“Recently, it was detected that their licences were renewed inadvertently following possible goof-ups. This is why their licences have been cancelled with immediate effect,” said a senior home ministry official.
The ministry’s order said Anhad “has come to adverse notice for its undesirable activities against public interest” and one of the conditions for granting registration under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act was that the acceptance of donation by the person was not likely to affect “prejudicially the public interest.”
Till so far the Government has cancelled the licences of seven NGOs whose licences were renewed inadvertently. A similar number of NGOs are under scrutiny for inadvertent approval of FCRA licence and their clearance will be scrapped soon.