The Union home ministry has reportedly canceled the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license of prominent think tank Indian Institute of Social Studies. According to officials, the measures are based on suspected regulatory violations.
The institute, founded in 1951, recently published a critical analysis of the 2020 National Education Policy in its journal Social Action. Notably, Social Action is recognized as a social science journal approved by the University Grants Commission Consortium for Academic Research and Ethics.
However, ISI has not made any statement on this matter. The journal focused on “Peace and Conflict” and was published in 2023, taking up the issue of ethnic violence in Manipur along with “the unresolved political aspirations of the people of Kashmir and Nagaland”.
Officials said the Home Ministry grants FCRA licenses to NGOs and think tanks for five years, and applications are evaluated based on annual revenue and foreign grants received for the intended purpose. The FCRA Act was amended in 2020. Officials said misappropriation or diversion of foreign funds is considered a violation of the law.
According to its website, ISI was founded by Fr. Jerome D’Souza, who played a key role in mediating between the Vatican and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to end Portuguese control over the Church in India. Father D’Souza is also a member of the Indian Constituent Assembly and has represented India at the United Nations General Assembly four times.
Over the past year, more than 100 NGOs have had their contracts canceled or suspended, including the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust led by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Oxfam India, and Care India. , facing measures such as suspension of updates. , or expiration of your FCRA license.
Recently, the Home Ministry suspended the FCRA registration of activist and author Harsh Mander’s Center for Equity Research, leading to a CBI search of his residence. Additionally, the center last month revoked the license of the 50-year-old think tank Center for Policy Research.
Image source: Times of India