(Aditya Shaw, Intern Journalist): Amnesty International has suspended all activities in India, accusing the central government of harassment. All their activities came to a halt as the government froze all their bank accounts. That is why India’s work is being wrapped up, they said. At the same time, they laid off all staff in India and wrapped up all kinds of publicity and research work.
Amnesty says the government is now using the model of legitimate fundraising as a form of financial embezzlement. This is proof that any human rights activist or group is deliberately using the legal framework to challenge the government’s inaction and repression. Amnesty alleges that the agency has been cracked down on for the past two years and that freezing all bank accounts is no accident.
They spoke out against Amnesty’s allegations, transparency in the government, and the recent violence in Delhi, and the responsibility of the Delhi Police and the Government of India for human rights abuses. In the case of Jammu and Kashmir, human rights violations were also questioned. As a result, they face harassment from central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate.
Abinash Kumar, the executive director of Amnesty International India, has alleged that such harassment is tantamount to dissent. The government had alleged that Amnesty was receiving foreign money illegally. In 2016, the ED searched Amnesty’s headquarters in Bangalore. The search was conducted on charges of violating foreign exchange laws. Despite Amnesty’s claims, they comply with all Indian and international laws. Official sources told the news agency that there was no ED investigation against Amnesty. The investigation is against a private company affiliated with the voluntary organization, which received Rs 51 crore through questionable export earnings.
The Union Home Ministry has denied the allegations made by Amnesty International. The center said in a statement that the position taken by Amnesty and the allegations made were “exaggerated, unfortunate and untrue”. Dismissing allegations of selective targeting of Amnesty, the home ministry said India would not allow any foreign-funded organization to interfere in internal political debates. The Interior Ministry said Amnesty International had only allowed it under the Foreign Grants (Control) Act (FCRA) once and twenty years ago.
Despite repeated requests since then, the company has not been granted FCRA approval. Because, according to the law, they cannot get such approval. Amnesty UK sent large sums of money to four companies registered in India to bypass the FCRA’s control, showing them as foreign direct investment. Thus it is against the law to send money by a detour. The interior ministry said the previous government had repeatedly rejected Amnesty’s repeated requests for money from abroad for such illegal activities. As a result, Amnesty had to suspend work in India at that time. Amnesty also said the allegations were an attempt to influence ongoing investigations by various agencies into illegal activities.
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