India (MNN) — The Indian government is ramping up enforcement of an act restricting foreign funding for NGOs, putting many Christian organizations at risk of being expelled from the country. In the last two years, more than 100 organizations have seen their licenses revoked.
Approximately 16,000 licensed NGOs operate in India. The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act ensures that funds donated to these organizations are not used for political contributions or illegal activities. But according to Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs, what used to be a simple registration process for non-profits has recently become a tool for government targeting.
“It seems like from 1976 until the mid-2010s, it was essentially a rubber stamp. Once you had the approval you had it forever. Now it seems like the government, particularly under Prime Minister Modi, is using it as an excuse to say ‘We need to see your books.’”
Enforcement has been increasing since 2014 when the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power. Many prominent Christian organizations, including Compassion International, Center for Policy Research, Voluntary Health Association of India, and the Evangelical Fellowship of India have already had their licenses revoked. Others face scrutiny and charges that range from embezzlement or corrupt financial practices to illegal religious conversion activities.
While some groups are explicitly evangelizing, many focus primarily on poverty alleviation and education.
“Those things are not overtly conversion activities. They are simply coming alongside people,” Nettleton says. “The sad part of the way they are enforcing it now is so many Indians are suffering because these charity organizations are not allowed to function in the country.”
This story was originally published in mnnonline.org. Read the full story here.
