New Delhi, Dec 27 (UNI) Home Ministry on Monday said it did not freeze bank accounts of Missionaries of Charity (MoC), and the State Bank of India informed that Missionaries of Charity itself sent a request to SBI to freeze its accounts.
The Missionaries of Charity in a statement confirmed that their FCRA registration has not been suspended or cancelled, and the Home Ministry has not ordered freezing its accounts.
"We have been informed that our FCRA renewal application has not been approved. Therefore as a measure to ensure there is no lapse, we have asked out centers not to operate any of the FC accounts until the matter is resolved," the MoC said in a statement.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Home Ministry said renewal application under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) for MoC was refused due to adverse inputs.
"The renewal application under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) for the renewal of FCRA registration of Missionaries of Charity (MoC) was refused on December 25, 2021, for not meeting the eligibility conditions under FCRA 2010 and Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules (FCRR) 2011.
"No request/revision application has been received from Missionaries of Charity (MoC) for review of this refusal of renewal," the statement said.
Missionaries of Charity (MoC) was registered under FCRA vide Registration No 147120001 and its registration was valid up-to October 31, 2021. The validity was subsequently extended up-to Dec 31, 2021 along with other FCRA Associations whose renewal application were pending renewal, the MHA said. "However, while considering the MoC's renewal application, some adverse inputs were noticed. In consideration of these inputs on record, the renewal application of MoC was not approved," it said.
The statement added MHA did not freeze any accounts of MoC.
"State Bank of India has informed that MoC itself sent a request to SBI to freeze its accounts," the statement said.
The clarification came after reports said the bank accounts of the charity organisation were frozen, which drew criticism from several political leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Taking to Twitter, Banerjee said, "Shocked to hear that on Christmas, Union Ministry FROZE ALL BANK ACCOUNTS of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in India!"
The MoC provides food, shelter and medical treatment free of cost to a large number of homeless, orphans and leprosy patients at its various homes in and around Kolkata.
UNI AO SHK1944