The action against a raft of NGOs — 4,470 in all — in the latest round last week is not as shocking as the fact that most of them may have been guilty of not following rules and regulations. Too many are guilty of not filing their annual returns. While honest tax-paying individuals are subjected to all kinds of regulatory sanctions and harassment if they forget to file annual tax returns, the NGOs seem to be irresponsibly insouciant about statutory regulations. The list includes the Supreme Court Bar Association, a heart institute and universities, but in the eyes of the law all are equal and they must be prepared to face sanctions if they do not comply with the rules. If the NGOs can swiftly get their accounts in order and file their returns, there is no reason why they should not be eligible to reapply for recognition.
The offloading from a flight of Priya Pillai, who was on her way to brief British parliamentarians about Greenpeace initiatives in India, is a completely different matter. The action against her was not only a gross violation of her human rights but also starkly indicative of the intolerance of government towards opinions that may not be in tune with its perception. Blocking the Ford Foundation’s funding, reportedly on flimsy grounds, was another instance that exposed the government’s bigoted perspective. What is the big difference then between authoritarian regimes in other parts of the world and the democratic one in India if the ruling dispensation reins in its critics? To see the light and take corrective action to redress genuine grievances of NGOs is the way ahead.
