Lok Sabha takes up FCRA Amendment Bill amid opposition protests.
The Congress party has directed its MPs to attend Parliament and protest against the FCRA Amendment Bill, describing it as unconstitutional and a threat to minority organisations. The government asserts the bill aims to enhance transparency and prevent misuse of foreign funds.
Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the legislation was not against any NGO and is an effort to maintain transparency. This amendment is in the interest of good NGOs which want to do good work in the country.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has accused the BJP of attempting to intimidate bishops and church leaders in Kerala to gain their support, asserting that such tactics will not succeed in the state.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi intensified the UDF's campaign for the Kerala polls, accusing the CPI(M) of stealing gold from the Sabarimala temple and questioning PM Modi's silence on the issue. He also addressed concerns about rubber prices and the FCRA amendments.
Giving a reform boost to the commodity futures market, the government on Thursday cleared a Bill that seeks to provide more power including financial autonomy to regulator FMC and introduce new categories of products.
The retrospective amendment will help BJP and Congress escape the fallout of a 2014 Delhi high court judgment that held both guilty of violating the FCRA.
The registration was cancelled as Infosys Foundation allegedly did not file income and expenditure statement on foreign funding for the past few years, officials said.
To the disappointment of the Forward Markets Commission, the commodity markets regulator, the standing committee of Parliament examining the Bill seeking to amend the Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1952, has invited suggestions from the public and stakeholders, including consumer bodies.
'It is especially discouraging for young people in the development sector. I've noticed that many of them are actively considering other career options to escape this atmosphere.' Geetanjali Krishna reports.
Any NGO critical of the government is unlikely to receive a green signal. The new amendment will leave NGOs vulnerable to harassment. It was the NGO sector that helped provide compassion and food to millions of people during the lockdown. The new Bill will render such cooperation and camaraderie impossible in future, observes Rashme Sehgal.
'Amendments in the past have created fear. This will take it further.'
Will get powers to levy fines and penalties and allow options trading in commodities.
DEA officials to push for this at a meeting with FM Jaitley.
Grover had said a summons was issued by the special court in Ghaziabad against Ayyub for January 27 and therefore the matter be listed urgently.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear the petition of journalist Rana Ayyub challenging the summons issued to her by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ghaziabad in a money laundering case lodged against her by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
'Prime Minister Modi stated several times that we shall not let this challenge go away without converting it into an opportunity to undertake systemic reforms.' 'And hasn't that been reiterated in action?'
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked a special court in Ghaziabad, which has summoned journalist Rana Ayyub in a money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), to adjourn the proceedings scheduled for January 27 to a date after January 31.
Officials also said that the move to send out the emails was a conscious choice as part of a communication strategy for public interest.
'The government is using the Intelligence Bureau to go after NGOs.' 'It is not only the NDA, the UPA also didn't like NGOs.' 'NGOs predominantly work with the poor. So, when you cancel an NGO, the affected are the poor, the Dalits, the tribals, the street children and the marginalised.'
'Even if something appears to be wrong, we can always request the government and Parliament to make amends.'
The RBI is considering permitting FII and commercial banks to trade on Indian commodity exchanges.
Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Opposition parties on Wednesday alleged that selective leak of information on demonetisation of 500 and 1000 rupee notes to 'friends of BJP' and demanded making public the names of those who had bought gold and foreign exchange of over Rs 1 crore since April.
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