The passing of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020, in both Houses of Parliament, without any real deliberations, poses deeply troubling and ominous messages for civil society and democracy in India. The amendment reflects a deeply flawed understanding of democracy – in which it has been reduced to electoral democracy or quest for state power, and any other form of democratic action is seen with suspicion and as illegitimate.
The timing of the FCRA Bill was most bewildering as it was tabled in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, in which civil society has played a stellar role in reaching out and supporting millions of poor Indians by providing food, clothing, shelter, transportation and other basic necessities. This praise has come from the highest quarters, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as Niti Aayog.
In this context it is imperative for us to seek an answer to the question, why was this Bill introduced?
The primary reason given by the minister of state responding to questions of opposition MPs was that the Bill sought to bring greater accountability to the sector. However, he did not give any evidence to demonstrate a lack of accountability for the FCRA money. In reality, it is already an over-regulated sector.
This story is from the October 2, 2020 edition of The Times of India Hyderabad.
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This story is from the October 2, 2020 edition of The Times of India Hyderabad.
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