America
US envoy voices concern over 'challenges faced by NGOs in India'
New Delhi, May 6
The US envoy to India Richard
Verma on Wednesday voiced "concern" over reports about "challenges faced
by NGOs operating in India", as the government has put the US-based
Ford Foundation under the scanner.
Speaking at the Ananta Aspen
Institute on the Foundations of the US-India Strategic-Plus
Relationship, the ambassador said: "I read with some concern the recent
press reports on challenges faced by NGOs operating in India."
"Because
a vibrant civil society is so important to both of our democratic
traditions, I do worry about the potentially chilling effects of these
regulatory steps focused on NGOs," he added.
Verma said that
during his tenure he hoped to find "many areas of agreement and forward
progress" with his official and unofficial friends, "but I also know
there will be times when we disagree, and I look forward to those
conversations too".
He said, "It is a suggestion that our democratic traditions are strengthened when we use discussion and debate to improve."
"Therefore,
we can build resilience in our bilateral relationship by having frank
discussions on all matters of shared concern, including the importance
of civil society and free expression to the promotion of a more
peaceful, prosperous, and stable future."
On Tuesday, the
government said the Ford Foundation had funded some NGOs which are not
registered under the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation)
Act (FCRA), 2010, as well as the Sabrang Trust which is linked to
activist Teesta Setalvad.
"There are inputs from security
agencies that some amounts have been credited from Ford Foundation to
some NGOs which are not registered under the provisions of FCRA, 2010,"
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju told the Lok Sabha.
"Hence,
to keep a watch on such recipients, the credits from Ford Foundation
have been put under prior permission category under FCRA, 2010," he
added.
Last month, the government put international donor Ford
Foundation on the watchlist for funding organisations not registered
under the FCRA.
Verma said that in the world of today "a great
deal of the search for the refinements that can improve our governments
is undertaken by civil society organisations".
He said President
Barack Obama had convened members of the international community on the
margins of the UN General Assembly in 2013 to launch the Stand with
Civil Society Agenda.
The objectives were "to improve the policy
environment for civil society organisations in various countries around
the world; coordinate diplomatic actions in response to restrictions on
civil society; and to develop innovative mechanisms for providing civil
society organisations with technical and financial support".
Verma said the US and India are collaborating on a variety of healthcare issues.
He
said epidemiologists from the US and Indian Centers for Disease Control
are working together on the India Epidemic Intelligence Service
Programme and may have found the source of the disease that was killing
many children in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district.
Health agencies of both sides were also collaborating to find a vaccine for rotavirus.
He
said after Obama's visit and that of several top officials, the two
sides are engaging on more than 70 initiatives, "everything from space
to vaccines".
These include "launching a civil nuclear contact
group that moved us past some of the obstacles that had stalled progress
for years; restarting the trade policy forum to address intellectual
property and food security issues; signing Memoranda of Cooperation on
Smart Cities and Transportation; and hosting the bilateral India-U.S.
Technology Summit".