-Livemint.com FCRA dates back to the Emergency. In its current form, it is the handiwork of the UPA, and the NDA is simply taking up from where the UPA left New Delhi: The recent cancellation of licences of many not-for-profits allowed to receive foreign funds is an exercise started by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in 2010 following a series of public protests against government policies. The Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA)...

-The Hindu This is the fourth time the U.S. government is taking up the issue of strictures against NGOs in the past couple of weeks. Accusing the government’s actions to regulate Non-Governmental Organisations including the Ford Foundation and Greenpeace International of having a “chilling effect” on civil society, U.S. Ambassador to India Richard Verma, said that India and the U.S. must find an understanding over the issue. “I read with some concern...

-NDTV Mumbai: Congress President Sonia Gandhi today sharply attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government in Parliament and outside. In a statement in the Lok Sabha, Mrs Gandhi criticized what she called the "deplorable lapse" in not filling key posts, including that of the Chief Information Commissioner, which has been vacant for eight months. Stating that over 39,000 appeals under the RTI or Right to Information Act, remain pending, she also used...

-The Hindu Not all the amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act cleared by the Union Cabinet last week inspire public confidence or meet the objective of filling gaps in domestic anti-corruption law. In significant respects, the proposals fall short of public expectations and fail to address key issues in corruption jurisprudence. In its Bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2013, the UPA government proposed to extend the protection of...

-Hindustan Times They are called cafeteria sessions. At lunch time, Greenpeace fund-raisers wander among hundreds, sometimes thousands, of young men and women packing the cafeterias of Indian companies. It’s not a good idea to name these companies. Greenpeace’s activities include forest preservation, renewable-energy promotion and fighting on behalf of local communities. These appear to be popular causes among young professionals. Donations of Rs 300 to Rs 500 constitute about 80% of...