The Union Home Ministry on Thursday recommended a CBI probe against Oxfam India for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2020 which prohibits such transfers. According to the sources, despite being registered under the FCRA, which forbids such transfers after the law was amended and went into effect on September 29, 2020, Oxfam India continued to transfer foreign contributions to various entities, including other NGOs. Oxfam India, however, made no comment in response to this.During the investigation, the Income Tax agency discovered numerous emails that showed Oxfam India was allegedly preparing to circumvent FCRA regulations by sending money to other FCRA-registered organisations or by using the profit consultation method. The report also revealed Oxfam India as a potential tool of foreign organisations or companies foreign policies, which have generously sponsored the NGO over the years.What does Oxfam India doAccording to sources, Oxfam India, which is licenced to conduct social activities, allegedly sent money in the form of a commission to the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Policy Research (CPR) through its affiliates and staff.The Oxfam India TDS data, which indicates a payment of Rs 12,71,188 to the CPR in 2019–20, also reflects this. According to sources, Oxfam India didnt accept foreign contributions in the approved FCRA account and instead got roughly Rs 1.50 crore directly into its foreign contribution utilisation account.By learning all these things, Home Ministry has recommended a probe against Oxfam India. According to the sources, Oxfam India is the second NGO against which the home ministry has recommended the CBI probe within a month after the alleged violation of FCRA.Suspension of the Oxfam licenceAccording to the information, the suspension of the licence of Oxfam India was done in January 2022, after which the NGO filed for the revision of the petition with the home ministry. The FCRA licence of CPR was suspended on March 1 for six months for the violation of laws. As per guidelines under the FCRA, it is compulsory for all the NGOs receiving foreign contributions to register with the home ministry.The official website of Oxfam India says that the NGO has been in India since 1951 and it is a movement. The website quotes, “Movement of people working to end discrimination and create a free and just society. We work to ensure that Adivasis, Dalits, Muslims, and Informal Sector Workers, especially women and girls have safe, violence-free lives with freedom to speak their minds, equal opportunities to realise their rights, and a discrimination-free future.”According to officials, 1,827 NGOs FCRA registrations were revoked between 2018 and 2022 as a result of breaking its rules and requirements. 16,383 organisations were FCRA-registered as of March 10, 2023.In the last three years, Indian NGOs have received funds from abroad totalling Rs 55,449 crore. The Rajya Sabha was informed last month that NGOs nationwide got funds of Rs 16,306.04 crore in 2019–20, Rs 17,058.64 crore in 2020–21, and Rs 22,085.10 crore in 2021–22.Recommendation of CBI enquiry against Harsh ManderHarsh Mander, who was a member of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council during the erstwhile UPA government, founded Aman Biradari – “A peoples campaign for a secular, peaceful, just and humane world”. Earlier, on March 20, the home ministry recommended a CBI probe against Aman Biradari Trust, an NGO established by writer and human rights activist Harsh Mander, for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.Suspension of other NGOsBefore this, in October 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs had cancelled the registration of the two NGOs headed by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for alleged violations of laws. These were Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) and the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT).According to the guidelines, it is mandatory for all the NGOs receiving foreign funding to register with the home ministry under FCRA.
