On Amnesty row, BJP leader quotes ex-PM Manmohan Singh to defend govt

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday refuted allegations by Amnesty International that it needed to wind up its operations in India due to a witch hunt by the federal government and mentioned the organisation was receiving funds from overseas in contravention of the Indian legal guidelines.

Amnesty International, in a press release, mentioned that the freezing of its financial institution accounts by the Indian authorities, which it’s learnt was completed earlier this month, has introduced its work to a juddering halt.

BJP’s nationwide spokesperson Rajyavardhan Rathore mentioned Amnesty International had arrange 4 firms, and confirmed cash acquired of their account as FDI.

The Enforcement Directorate began investigation after it learnt that cash was being funnelled into the corporate’s accounts with none info or permission.

“The Reserve Bank of India told all banks that Amnesty should be put in the category for prior reference. Before receiving money from outside India they would need to be in the prior permission category. There has been shifty money transfer to the companies and there is suspected flow of money into the trust of the amnesty international,” Rathore mentioned.

He mentioned Amnesty International, which has alleged that it was focused by the federal government for engaged on problems with human rights, has not clarified why cash was coming into the financial institution accounts from overseas.

The BJP spokesperson additionally mentioned that the organisation’s credentials had been additionally questioned by the UPA authorities. He mentioned questions in regards to the organisation had been raised thrice in Parliament through the UPA regime and every time the then ministers referred to their “questionable” working type.

“In 2009 during the UPA regime their licence was rejected for receiving foreign funds and the operation was suspended,” Rathore mentioned.

He mentioned any organisation can work in India, however they can’t be allowed to bypass the legal guidelines.

“On July 31, 2004, the then MoS Home Shiprakash Jaiswal said accusations (about suppression of human rights) are made periodically by Amnesty international based in London. On 22 October 2008, in reply to a question about concerns on suppression of human rights, Shakeel Ahmed, MoS, Home, said the methods used by such organisations to gather information have been questioned. It is not the policy of India to react to such reports. On December 16, 2007, Ahmed again said methods used by such organisations to gather information have been often questioned, particularly as they are not free from bias,” Rathore mentioned.