Re: [IAC#RG] WHY FOREIGN FUNDING FOR NGOs ?

Dear Sant ji

FYI, such flippant (and incidentally also badly formatted) messages to this list from a distinguished police officer and decorated "top-cop" such as yourself, does not contribute to healthy discussions between our members who come from very different backgrounds to the common discussion space we provide. You can see that many people would be happy if this list is shut down.

The point made by the noted human rights activist/member from Manipur is that the IB is unaccountable, non-transparent etc. and its so-called report lacks rigor and credibility.

The less said about RTI Act, Sec 4 etc the better. The RTI Act is broken beyond repair, and the only persons touting it are stool pigeons of the State, for its placebo value.

Sucheta Dalal's point is also worth repeating. Indian sponsors of NGOs are not forthcoming with funds, and there is the inevitable "quid-pro-quo" which enters any such financing in India. You cannot also base a movement (especially one which is critical of the State) on domestic funding sources who can be scared off at a moments notice.

At the end of the day, what is needed in the NGO sector is selfless people of unimpeachable honesty and integrity - with clear vision and who are also effective, and such people are very difficult to locate or prepared to work as part of a team (due to trust issues).Till then the aam janata will have to put up with ersatz heroes like Sunita Narain or Medha Patkar.

Sarbajit

On Tue, Jun 17, 2014 at 10:39 AM, <santmathur@gmail.com> wrote:

No need to repeat cliched"Sunlight is the best disinfectant" US judge's adage. Let foreign/Govt funding component(recd through direct or indirect mode) become RTI compliant.      Afterall Govt money(public expence)is involved in the process of clearing foreign funding,which means,in indirect manner the receipt of that fund carries public cost/contribution. The State doesn't charge any processing fee,and the transaction,necessary for all good reasons,is cost-free for donor/recepient. The public authority is involved in contributing to public cost. And if there is nothing to hide,why keep transactions secret from public gaze? It's not State vs Donor/Recepient NGO,but Donor/Recepient vs Public Interest(National Security included) Citizens have a fundamental duty to come to the aid of the State/Govt in discharge of nation-building duties etc.   Compliance with Sec 4 of the RTI Act would itself create great deal of transparency for NGOs,needing little addl burden of RTI related work.spm

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