MHA refused to renew c’s FCRA status, but didn’t freeze accounts

New Delhi, Dec 28: The renewal application under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) for the renewal of FCRA registration of Missionaries of Charity (MoC) was refused on December 25 for not meeting the eligibility conditions under FCRA 2010 and Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules (FCRR) 2011.

The Ministry of Home Affairs aid that no request or revision application has been received from Missionaries of Charity (MoC) for review of this refusal of renewal.

Missionaries of Charity (MoC) was registered under FCRA and its registration was valid October 31 2021. The validity was subsequently extended up-to 31 Dec 2021 along with other FCRA Associations whose renewal application were pending renewal, the MHA also said.

However, while considering the MoC's renewal application, some adverse inputs were noticed. In consideration of these inputs on record, the renewal application of MoC was not approved. The FCRA registration of MoC was valid up-to 31st December 2021. MHA did not freeze any accounts of MoC. State Bank of India has informed that MoC itself sent a request to SBI to freeze its accounts.

The Missionaries of Charity was established by Mother Teresa on October 7 1950. On December 12 the organisation was booked under the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act 2003 for allegedly hitting Hindu religious sentiments and luring towards Christianity young girls at a shelter home it runs in Vadodara.

"We appreciate the concern of our well-wishers and extend our heartiest greetings for Christmas and the New Year. We would like to clarify that the FCRA registration of the Missionaries of Charity has been neither suspended nor cancelled," the MoC said in a statement.

Shocked to hear that on Christmas, Union Ministry FROZE ALL BANK ACCOUNTS of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in India!

Their 22,000 patients & employees have been left without food & medicines.

While the law is paramount, humanitarian efforts must not be compromised.

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 27, 2021

"Further, there is no freeze ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs on any of our bank accounts. We have been informed that our FCRA renewal application has not been approved. Therefore, as a measure to ensure there is no lapse, we have asked our centres not to operate any of the FC accounts until the matter is resolved," the statement also read.

Earlier Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee tweeted, "shocked to hear that on Christmas, Union Ministry froze all bank accounts of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in India! Their 22,000 patients & employees have been left without food & medicines. While the law is paramount, humanitarian efforts must not be compromised."

This is indeed shocking. When Mother Teresa wins a Nobel Prize, India rejoices. When her organisation serves the poor & destitute, the govt cuts off their funding. Disgraceful. https://t.co/dpHInSubqo

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 27, 2021

TMC MP, Derek O' Brian said "after a filthy hit job on Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity on December 25, now MHA doing what it does best: spin doctoring & a cover up..."

"First the Government of India intimidates. For weeks, right through to December 25. And then they pile on the pressure to extract this. Shame on the MHA and its shameless damage control tactics," the TMC MP also wrote.

Congress MP, Shashi Tharoor said, "this is indeed shocking. When Mother Teresa wins a Nobel Prize, India rejoices. When her organisation serves the poor & destitute, the govt cuts off their funding. Disgraceful."