NGOs oppose freezing of INSAF accounts

The non-government organisations (NGOs) of Ahmedabad have joined hands to protest the central home ministry’s move to suspend registration of INSAF, which is an umbrella organisation of over 700 NGOs involved in grassroot activities.

About 25 NGOs from Gujarat are members of Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF).

Activist Hiren Gandhi said that INSAF has been banned under amendments made in the FCRA Act of 1976. “The new amendments in the act are controversial and have been challenged in Supreme Court by INSAF,” said Gandhi while addressing mediapersons on Thursday. “Under the amendments, any civil society organisation receiving foreign funds and indulging in activities that are political in nature will be banned, but the definition of political activity has been kept vague,” he added.

Gandhi said that INSAF accounts were frozen on April 30, a day before the organisation was to organise an international conference in New Delhi from May 1-4. “We have already filed petition in Supreme Court challenging the move,” said Gandhi.

Jimmy C Dabhi of St Xavier’s Non-Formal Education Society termed freezing of the INSAF accounts as state terrorism. He questioned nature of the foreign funds that are received by the government.

“They can receive foreign funds from World Bank and other agencies; why is it problem when civil society gets foreign funds,” asked Dabhi. “The interpretation of the amendments has been left to the government,” he added.