Cracking down on NGOs that have been receiving funds from abroad running into hundres of crores, the Ministry of Home Affairs has stopped 245 such organisations in the city from receiving funds from abroad and cancelled their registrations. Overall, 296 such NGOs across the state have been slapped with the ban. An organisation run by MP and BJP National General Secretary Ananth Kumar too is in the blacklist.
The ministry has pointed to violations under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act while slapping the ban, though it has not given specific reasons for the action. These NGOs will not be allowed to receive any foreign funds till they are cleared of charges. According to the list published by the ministry in July, along with Smt. Girija Shastry Memorial Trust, run by Mr Ananth Kumar, the government-managed Karnataka Wakf Development Corporation, Public Affairs Centre, Animal Rights Fund and Vivekananda Kendra Yoga Research Foundation have been blacklisted. Many Christian organistations and NGOs, which were purported to be working for the welfare of women, children and rural people, have been banned.