Tamil Nadu Church groups which led Kudankulam protests, receive foreign funds even after FCRA cancellation

In an update to the anti-nuclear protests from the year 2012 that were led by church groups who allegedly received illegal foreign funds for the purpose in Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu, the MP of Narasapuram Lok Sabha Constituency, Raghu Ramakrishna Raju has written to the Home Ministry seeking action against large scale violation of FCRA rules and misuse of foreign funds by the Christian organizations.

The letter dated 7th December demanded an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate into the matter of receipt of foreign funds by the organizations named ‘the Tuticorin Diocesan Association’ (FCRA No: 076030031) and ‘the Tuticorin Multipurpose Social Service Society’ (FCRA No: 76030038). The complaint stated that these organizations continue to receive overseas ‘donations’ despite cancelling their FCRA registrations and freezing bank accounts by the Government of India in 2015.

In the year 2015, the then Minister of State for the Ministry of Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju suspended the FCRA registration of the Tuticorin Diocesan, Association and 2 other NGOs based on the adverse reports received from the intelligence agencies. The government then froze the bank accounts of the said NGOs and stated that the organizations were using foreign funds for anti-national activities.

In a most significant move, the Hon'ble MP of Narasapuram Lok Sabha Constituency Sri Raghu Ramakrishna Raju wrote to Sri Amit Shah and Home Secretary for action against large scale violation of FCRA rules & misuse of foreign funds by Tuticorin Diocesan Association & its ally NGO pic.twitter.com/wy8gJbXFAV

— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) December 7, 2023

However, Raghu Ramakrishna Raju revealed in the complaint to the Home Ministry on 7th December that the NGOs continue to receive foreign funds in their respective FCRA-designated bank accounts which were said to have been frozen by the government. As per the complaint the Tuticorin Diocesan Association is said to have received Rs. 4,45,07,214 in its Bank of Baroda account designated to receive foreign funds.

The said funds were received by the NGO from the financial year 2015-16 to 2017-18 in the name of the Welfare of Children, maintenance and construction of Orphanages. Some transactions were also made in the name of ‘Mass Intention’ which has no specific description.

“A large amount of foreign funds received by the Tuticorin Diocesan Association to its ‘Frozen’ bank accounts were transferred to the individual accounts of its office bearers. The NGO also transferred the illegal money to another account with Syndicate Bank at the Tuticorin Branch. In addition, Rs. 1,25,00,000 out of the foreign funds were transferred to a few construction companies from the frozen bank account of the Tuticorin Diocesan Association post cancellation of its FCRA license. The reasons for such a transfer of amount are to be investigated,” the complaint read.

Notably, it has also come to the fore that a large portion of foreign funds, around Rs 1.6 crores, received by the Tuticorin Diocesan Association after the suspension if its FCRA license has come from Apostolic Nunciature India, a diplomatic entity of the Vatican government having its office in New Delhi. The amount transferred by Apostolic Nunciature India from 2016 to 2018 was shown as a foreign contribution by the NGO in question.

As per the letter copy, the Tuticorin Multipurpose Social Service Society which claims to be a sub-entity or social wing of the Tuticorin Diocesan Association (FCRA: 076030038) also received Rs 34,81,691 as foreign funds in its account after it’s FCRA license had been suspended.

“The intention of the diplomatic organization to fund the NGO which has lost its FCRA license and its bank accounts were frozen by the Government of India by declaring its activities as ‘Anti-National’ should be investigated,” the MP noted in the complaint.

The bank accounts of the NGO which were frozen by the government are operational even after the government action and most of the foreign funds are being obtained in the name of Child welfare activities. “This raises concerns. We request you take the necessary action by referring the matter to the Enforcement Directorate to immediately register a case in this matter and to conduct a detailed investigation of the activities of the Tuticorin Diocesan Association and Tuticorin Multipurpose Social Service Society,” the complaint read.

It is important to note that these NGOs had a major role to play in organizing and leading the protest against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, which was developed in collaboration with Russia in the year 2011-12. The NGOs were associated with Bishop Yvon Ambroise, the Tuticorin church leader, who had been active in mobilizing popular support for the protests at Kudankulam back then.

Church-backed activism fueled the Kudankulam protest in Tamil Nadu

In the year 2011, the Church-sponsored rabble-rousers and hooligans delayed the critical Kudankulam power plant, hitting the country at a time when energy requirements were rapidly increasing. The majority of those who took part in the Nagercoil protest marches were from various Catholic churches. Several churches and NGOs including the Tuticorin Diocese Association (TDA) and the Tuticorin Multipurpose Social Service Society (TMSSS) drew fear among the people against the nuclear facility and advised people to participate in the protests against the Kudankulam project.

Source: opindia