The author has well illustrated the aftermath of to the cancellation of FCRA Registration for the nonprofits functioning in the rural areas of India (“FCRA licence crackdown has plunged India’s non-profit sector into a crisis”). There may be reason for the cancellation, but the consequences are great. In rural areas, these NGOs help poor and needy families with basic education, health and at least one square meal in a day when local governments cannot provide the same. The Ministry of Home Affairs could take a lenient approach with the NGOs who have been deprived of the benefits of FCRA registration. Certainly, we do not encourage any undesirable action through the use the foreign funds by the NGOs in the country. – PN Mathew
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Too bad for the workers. But not too bad for the beneficiaries. And good for the country. Look at the positives. Which FCRAs were you referring to? Those flagged for violations, conversion and foreign (read enemy) country sympathisers? A few of the beneficiaries would have paid the cost through non-forcible or coercive conversion. Hence, frontline workers should do a background check before accepting a job. But that is difficult in our country where the job market harsh. Good journalism is supposed to expose the pros and the cons. So, judge yourselves. – Nitin Deodhar
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It would be appreciated if a list of those NGOs whose licences are not cancelled was also displayed here. I have heard that when the FCRA funds are received by such trusts, by default they have to be transferred to a particular bank branch in Delhi and 50% of the funds are transferred to a political party’s welfare account. Please appraise the reality of this. – Bhaskar Bhattacharya
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A very relevant and well-articulated article. – Kunal Majumdar
TV channels filled with hate
Political rhetoric need not be explicit and can be implicit, to disparage and dehumanise groups or individuals (“How did India’s news channels become so full of hate?”). In our country, TV anchors who have habitués and a “wise commentator” will dispense their accumulated wisdom, armchair nationalism, and invective to the audience at large. The result: decibel levels determine and believe they are presenting the truth. They delude themselves and as fighting for justice.
On an earlier occasion, the Supreme Court expressed its dissatisfaction with the content of debates on television on court connected matters and said that TV debates are causing more air pollution than anything else. Indiscreet comments and coronary-inducing rants are the order of the day that goes instantly viral through social media and passes for wisdom. Our past leaders were not perfect, but they all endeavoured to practice civility in the public domain. Fortunately for many of us the TV remote has been a boon and has taken out the tedium of watching the incessant make-believe double speak on the TV. I for one am grateful to the inventor, the late Richard Adler, and always give him a sitting ovation. As a senior citizen I do not watch the news channels largely to keep good cardiac health. There needs to be a law that ought to be brought to regulate the venom spewed on TV needs consideration. – HN Ramakrishna
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It is because of news channels and print media like Scroll.in are also there with a single agenda of backing Muslims and hating Hindus. – Chithoorodu
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