Back'Unfortunate, exaggerated': Govt on Amnesty International's 'witch-hunt' claims
Amnesty International had received permission under the FCRA only once and that too twenty years ago, govt statesSince then Amnesty, despite its repeated applications, has been denied FCRA approval by successive governments since as per law it is not eligible to get such an approval
PremiumThe Indian government on Tuesday denied Amnesty International's statement of halting all its activities in India due to freezing of its accounts and claiming that the company is being subjected to an "incessant witch-hunt" over unfounded and motivated allegations.
The Union Home Ministry said all the "glossy statements" about humanitarian work and speaking truth to power are nothing but a "ploy to divert attention" from their activities which were in clear contravention of laid down Indian laws.
"The stand taken and statements by Amnesty International are unfortunate, exaggerated and far from the truth," the ministry said in a statement.
Amnesty International had received permission under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) only once and that too, 20 years ago (19.12.2000).
Since then Amnesty International, despite its repeated applications, has been denied FCRA approval by successive governments since as per law it is not eligible to get such an approval, government clarified.
Owing to these illegal practices of Amnesty, the previous government had also rejected the repeated applications of Amnesty to receive funds from overseas, MHA said in a statement.
"This had led Amnesty to suspend its India operations once during that period as well. This bipartisan and purely legal approach towards Amnesty, under different governments, makes it clear that the entire fault lies in the dubious processes adopted by Amnesty to secure funds for its operations," the ministry added.
Earlier today, Amnesty India, in a statement, said the organisation has been compelled to let go of staff in India and pause all its ongoing campaign and research work.
"The complete freezing of Amnesty International India's bank accounts by the Government of India which it came to know on 10 September 2020, brings all the work being done by the organization to a grinding halt," it said.
The organisation claimed that the attacks on Amnesty International India and other outspoken human rights organisations, activists and human rights defenders are only an extension of the various "repressive policies and sustained assault by the government on those who speak truth to power".
"This is latest in the incessant witch-hunt of human rights organizations by the Government of India over unfounded and motivated allegations," Amnesty International India said.
Amnesty International India said it stands in full compliance with all applicable Indian and international laws.
"For human rights work in India, it operates through a distinct model of raising funds domestically. More than four million Indians have supported Amnesty International India's work in the last eight years and around 100,000 Indians have made financial contributions," the organisation said.
These contributions evidently cannot have any relation with the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 and the fact that the "government is now portraying this lawful fundraising model as money-laundering is evidence that the overbroad legal framework is maliciously activated when human rights activists and groups challenge the government's grave inactions and excesses", it alleged.
"Treating human rights organisations like criminal enterprises and dissenting individuals as criminals without any credible evidence is a deliberate attempt by the Enforcement Directorate and Government of India to stoke a climate of fear and dismantle the critical voices in India," Avinash Kumar, the executive director of Amnesty International India, said.
However, the government in its statement said that Amnesty is free to continue humanitarian work in India. "However, India doesn't allow interference in domestic political debates by entities funded by foreign donations. This law applies equally to all and it shall apply to Amnesty International as well," MHA added.
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