Now Reading: Kerala HC: Funding protests not misuse of foreign funds
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Kerala HC: Funding protests not misuse of foreign funds
The Kerala High Court has set aside the Union government's refusal to renew the FCRA certificates of two NGOs accused of funding protests against the Vizhinjam port. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas ruled…
The Story in Brief
The Kerala High Court has set aside the Union government's refusal to renew the FCRA certificates of two NGOs accused of funding protests against the Vizhinjam port. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas ruled that financial support to a peaceful protest cannot be treated as diversion of foreign funds for an undesirable purpose, because the right to protest is constitutionally guaranteed. The court noted that the Central Security Agency's report contained no evidence of any financial trail between the NGOs and the protestors. It also observed that the two NGOs were not even among the 29 listed as participants in the agitation. Calling the rejection arbitrary and illegal, the court directed authorities to pass fresh orders within three months.
The Indian Opinion
The court has exposed a lazy official habit: branding peaceful protest as 'undesirable' to justify denying FCRA renewal without evidence. The government's argument that foreign funding is not a fundamental right misses the point, the Constitution protects the protest itself. The IB report had no financial trail linking the NGOs to the agitation, yet renewal was rejected on 'executive distaste'. Watch whether the fresh orders within three months finally renew the certificates or merely dress up another denial.
Sources (2): timesnownews.com, thenewsminute.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
