NGOs’ foreign funds and a trust deficit

Abstract

There is no organised conspiracy against NGOs. It is in the nature of power to exercise greater control, and exempt itself from accountability. The recent changes in the rules governing >foreign funding of NGOs under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) have been widely discussed. The last word on it will perhaps never be written. The UPA government initiated this and we see some concrete changes now. Sifting through the bewildering range of issues discussed, a few stand out. First, there is a sharp polarisation on the issue between the government and civil society, and even within civil society. Second, the polarisation is based on lack of trust, bordering on fear, with each group highlighting faults of the other. Behind all this are differing ideas of India we all hold. Read more at: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/ngos-foreign-funds-and-a-trust-deficit/article7364282.ece