Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
India decided to cut foreign funding for Catholic charitable foundations being built Ass Teresa, Missionaries of Charity, because they are considered ineligible.
The decision was cited as further evidence of abuse against Christians and Catholics.
India’s Ministry of Home Affairs said from December 25, renewals of the charity’s license to receive funds from abroad had been denied.
“(The reason) is not meeting the eligibility requirements,” said an official statement from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, as quoted by the Ministry of Home Affairs AFP, Monday (27/12).
The requirements referred to refer to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act after receiving input which is called detrimental. However, the ministry did not provide further details.
The Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Kolkata, Domici Gomes, was concerned by the announcement.
“(The announcement) was a cruel Christmas gift to the poorest of the poor,” he said.
The Missionaries of Charity then responded by instructing the institutions under its auspices not to use foreign currency accounts until the matter was resolved. However, they refused to report that his bank account had been frozen.
The policy comes two weeks after police in Gujarat investigated allegations of forced conversion of Hindus to Christians. These accusations are often made by hardline groups in India’s majority religion.
Activists say discrimination and violence against religious minorities in India have increased since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) came to power in 2014. The party is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi’s government refuses to be called a radical Hinduvta agenda or Hindu hegemony. They assert that all people of any class and religion have the same rights.
Not only Mother Teresa’s charitable foundation, the Indian government has also increased pressure on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive foreign funding, in recent years.
In 2020, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom ranked India as a country of special concern, following frequent discrimination.
Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity charitable foundation in 1950. She spent most of her life helping the poor in eastern Kolkata.
The foundation he founded also operates shelter homes across India. According to the Hindu daily, Mother Teresa received around US$750 million or around Rp. 10.7 trillion in 2020-2021.
(isa/bac)
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