Rajiv Gandhi Foundation license finally cancelled over violation of FCRA rules

Synopsis of the story

The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licenses of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) and the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT) have been cancelled under section 14 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010 due to violations of various provisions and conditions of registration under the FCRA. As a result, these associations will not be eligible for registration or grant of prior permission for a period of three years from the date of cancellation of their registration.

New Delhi: The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, the social service institute established in honor of the former Prime Minister of India, is currently facing a major crisis. Minister of state for Home affairs Nityanand Rai on Wednesday told Rajya Sabha that the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) was cancelled under section 14 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

“The FCRA license of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) was cancelled under section 14 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA, 2010) due to violation of provisions under section 11 and conditions of registration under section 12(4)(a)(vi) of the FCRA, 201,” told MoS Nityanand Rai to Rajya Sabha.

Rai said that the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT) license was cancelled under section 14 of the FCRA.

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“The FCRA license of the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT) was cancelled under section 14 of the FCRA, 2010 due to violation of provisions under sections 8(1)(a), 11, 17, 18, 19 andconditions of registration under section 12(4)(a)(vi) of the FCRA, 2010,” said MoS Nityanand Rai.

Rai also said that the association whose FCRA registration has been cancelled in terms of provisions under section 14 of the FCRA, 2010 shall not be eligible for registration or grantof prior permission for a period of three years from the date of cancellation of registration.

“In terms of provisions under section 14(3) of the FCRA, 2010, the association whose FCRA registration has been cancelled in terms of provisions under section 14 of the FCRA, 2010 shall not be eligible for registration or grant of prior permission for a period of three years from the date of cancellation of registration,” said MoS Nityanand Rai.

Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He was the eldest son of Indira Gandhi and the grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991.

The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation is a non-governmental organization in India that was founded in 1991 by members of the Gandhi family, including Rajiv Gandhi’s widow, Sonia Gandhi. The foundation’s mission is to promote sustainable development in India through research, education, and public outreach. It carries out a range of activities in areas such as health, education, environment, rural development, and disaster management. The foundation is based in New Delhi.

The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)

In India, the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) is a law that regulates the receipt and use of foreign contributions by individuals, associations, and companies. The law aims to prevent foreign funding from being used to interfere in the country’s political process or national security. Non-governmental organizations that wish to receive foreign funds for social work must register with the government and obtain an FCRA license, which must be renewed every five years. The government can cancel an organization’s FCRA license if it violates the law’s provisions.

Contribution made by Rajiv Gandhi to India

Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989. During his tenure, he implemented several policies and programs that aimed to modernize and develop India. Some of the key initiatives he implemented include:

• He initiated the process of liberalizing and deregulating the Indian economy, which had been largely closed and heavily controlled by the government. This helped to promote economic growth and attract foreign investment.
• He introduced the New Computer Policy, which aimed to promote the development of the computer industry in India and increase the use of computers in education and government.
• He initiated the Pan-India Fiber Optic Network project, which aimed to connect all of India’s major cities with high-speed telecommunications links. This laid the groundwork for the development of India’s modern telecommunications infrastructure.
• He also worked to improve relations with other countries, and played a key role in helping to end the civil war in Sri Lanka.

Overall, Rajiv Gandhi’s policies and initiatives played a significant role in modernizing and developing India, and laid the foundation for the country’s economic growth and modernization in the decades that followed.

Conclusion

The current government in India has targeted the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, a social service institute established in honor of the former Prime Minister of India. The activities of the organization are being closely monitored by the government, and as a result, it has had its Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license cancelled. This means that the organization will no longer be able to receive foreign donations for its social activities. This news has caused a major crisis for the organization.

(India CSR)

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