NB Explains | Why was Centre for Policy Research's FCRA suspension, a significant move by govt?

The Central government on Monday (February 27) suspended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR). This came five months after the Income Tax department conducted ‘surveys’ on the premises of the CPR, Oxfam India, and the Independent and Public Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF), which funds a range of digital media entities.

 

 

The FCRA licence of the think tank was suspended following prima-facie inputs regarding the violation of such funding norms. After suspension, a thorough investigation will take place and further decision will be accordingly taken.

 

 

The Centre for Policy Research calls itself a leading public policy think tank. Established in 1973, CPR conducts research to frame policies and create a robust public discourse on issues that impact life in India, according to the think tank’s website.

 

According to CPR, it receive grants "from a variety of domestic and international sources, including foundations, corporate philanthropy, governments, and multilateral agencies."

However, CPR is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Pierre Omidyar, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, Hans Seidel Foundation, and Namati Inc, as per the think tank's own disclosure.

According to the official document on the foreign contribution received by the think tank between October 2022 to December 2022, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was the biggest contributor. It granted Rs 4.5 crore in October followed by another Rs 2.5 crore in December. The Oak Foundation and World Resources Institute were also among major contributors providing Rs 76.6 lakh and Rs 76.5 lakh, respectively.

 

 

 

For the last few decades, there has been one person who is responsible for funding anti-national sentiments all around the world, the infamous Billionaire George Soros.

 

As reported above, Namati Inc, one of the organisation's funding CPR, can be traced to Hungarian-American investor George Soros, who recently stirred massive controversy over his comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi which led many in India accuse the billionaire of attempting an anti-India agenda change in India. Namati Inc is funded by the Open Society Foundations (OSF), an organisation founded by George Soros.

 

CPR also receives funding from the Ford Foundation which is directly associated with George Soros

 

Notably, CPR is headed by Yamini Aiyar who is the daughter of controversial Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar and Meenakshi Gopinath, a political scientist who taught at Jawaharlal Nehru University, is CPR’s chairperson.

 

The timing of this license cancellation coinciding with the G20 Foreign ministers meet and US Secretary Blinken's visit to India, and Bill Gates lauding the Modi government seems to be an obvious message to the West by the government.