Delhi, 23rd October 2022: The Central Government has cancelled the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF). RGF is a non-governmental organization affiliated with the Gandhi family. This action was taken against the NGO after being found guilty of violating the Foreign Funding Law.
A person familiar with the matter said that the decision to cancel the license has been taken based on the investigation of the Inter-Ministerial Committee – this committee was constituted by the Union Home Ministry in July 2020. Notice regarding the cancellation of the FCRA license has been sent to the RGF office. However, there is no comment from the NGO on this yet.
Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi is the chairperson of RGF. At the same time, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are also involved as trustees. According to the RGF website, the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation was formed in 1991. From 1991 to 2009, RGF worked on many important issues, including health, science and technology, women and children, and disability assistance. In 2010, the foundation decided to work on matters related to education as well.
RGF came under scrutiny in 2020 when the Home Ministry constituted an inter-ministerial committee headed by an Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer. This committee was entrusted with the task of investigating three foundations of the Gandhi family – the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT) and the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust. They were accused of violating the Income Tax Act and FCRA.
The ruling party, BJP, raised questions about the donation received by the foundation. Amidst the ongoing tension with China, BJP National President JP Nadda alleged that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation took donations from a country like China. He said during a virtual rally on 25th June 2020 that in 2005-06, they took three lakh US dollars from the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Embassy.
JP Nadda alleged close links between Congress and the Communist Party of China. He asked what the signed or unsigned MoU were between the two. RGF worked with the International Association for International Friendly Contact. This organization is associated with the Central Military Commission of China. Its purpose is to suppress the voices of leaders of other countries.