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Daijiworld Media Network – Kolkata
Kolkata, Dec 27: The Missionaries of Charity on Monday December 27, clarified that their FCRA – Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act renewal application has not been approved and that they have asked their centres not to operate these bank accounts. They cleared clarified that no freeze was ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on any of their bank accounts.
In a statement, Sr M Prema, superior general of the Missionaries of Charity said, “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 (foreign contribution) accounts until matter is resolved.
“FCRA registration of Missionaries of Charity has neither been suspended nor cancelled. Further there is no freeze ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on any of our bank accounts,” stated Sr M Prema.
Earlier, multiple media reports claimed that bank accounts of Missionaries of Charity were frozen by the Centre. The news was termed ‘false’ by the MHA.
Updated
Govt did not freeze bank accounts of Missionaries of Charity: MHA
New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS): The Union Home Ministry on Monday clarified that the government has not frozen the bank accounts of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity (MoC) and the State Bank of India has informed that MoC has sent a request to freeze its accounts.
The Ministry also said that 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, 2021 for not meeting the eligibility conditions under FCRA 2010 and Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules (FCRR) 2011.
It also said that no request or revision application has been received from MoC to review this refusal of renewal.
The MHA clarification came after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday tweeted that the central government froze all bank accounts of the MoC on Christmas and over 22,000 patients and employees have been left without food and medicine.
"While the law is paramount, humanitarian efforts must not be compromised", she further said in her tweet message.
The officials in the Home Ministry further said that Missionaries of Charity (MoC) was registered under FCRA vide Registration No 147120001 and its registration was valid up to Oct 31, 2021 only. The validity was subsequently extended up to December 31, 2021 along with other FCRA Associations whose renewal application was pending, they added.
However, while reviewing 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 officials further said, adding that the FCRA registration of MoC is valid up to December 31, 2021 and it did not freeze any accounts of MoC, rather the State Bank of India has informed that MoC itself sent a request to freeze its accounts, the Ministry added further.
Though the Missionaries of Charity was not ready to say anything, sources privy to the development said that there were some complaints against the organisation and the central government was keeping an eye on some of its bank accounts.
Earlier report
Central govt freezes bank accounts of Missionaries of Charity
Kolkata, Dec 27 (IANS): In a significant development, the central government has frozen all the bank accounts of Missionaries of Charity -- the non-profit organisation formed by Mother Teresa to help the people.
The central authorities issued orders on Sunday evening to cease all transactions through these bank accounts across India, leaving 22,000 patients and people without any treatment and food.
Though the authorities of Missionaries of Charity were not ready to say anything, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock at the behaviour of the central government.
Mother Teresa
"Shocked to hear that on Christmas, the 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," she wrote on her verified Twitter account.
CPM leader Surya Kanta Mishra wrote on Twitter, "Yesterday, Christmas Day the Union Ministry FROZED ALL BANK ACCOUNTS of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. The Govt has frozen all the accounts in India, including cash in hand. Their 22,000 patients, including employees, are left without food and medicines."
Though the Missionaries of Charity was not ready to say anything, sources privy to the development said that there were some complaints against the organisation and the central government was keeping an eye on some of its bank accounts. The central government froze all the accounts of the organisation to carry on with the investigation.