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Monday, June 16, 2014

NGO Funding & Agitation Technology - Part 1



If an organisation goes to a bank for a loan, one of the documents that are usually demanded is a “Fund-flow statement”. This fund-flow is to show how and from where funds will be received and how they will be applied. This is a projection and can include the proposed loan sought from the bank. This is not to be confused with a cash-flow statement. The reason for analysing the fund-flow is to estimate if the unit can meet its objectives with the loan sought and if the application is a genuine estimate. The bank’s main concern is, obviously, if the borrower will be in a position to return the money as scheduled. In case of NGO-funding the donor doesn’t seek a monetary return. The donor pays money with belief in the stated mission of the NGO. Over the last week, the leaked IB report on NGO activities caused a flutter among some NGOs and quite a few of our media folks and celebrities. Some of them have foolishly compared foreign donations to NGOs to FDI. In terms of cash-flow it may appear the same; that is foreign money flows into the country’s economy. But FDI as we know it is not free. Business and venture FDI is returnable, it’s a liability and demands a measurable return on the investment. In case of NGOs it is neither returnable nor a liability. For the NGO it is an “income” (mostly tax-exempt). The only return an NGO-donor seeks is the pursuit of the “agenda” that the NGO laid out.

The “agenda” as declared to the govt and general public and as pursued by an NGO through the dictates of a large donor can often be at variance. It is naïve of some to think that anti-national agendas are going to be formally declared by an NGO. Naturally, such “hidden agendas” are not easy to prove which is why our media crooks harp on “legality”. However, just as in a murder “circumstantial evidence” also receives due consideration by a court the actions of an NGO and its “hidden agenda” can be established by circumstantial evidence. This is why you get meaningless blabber as that coming from a raging Barkha Dutt:


Some of the NGOs named in the IB report aren’t merely expressing “opinions” and it is surprising that TV-soap peddlers who seek the drama of agitations feign ignorance. Greenpeace (GP) and some others aren’t merely expressing “opinions”. Their “opinions” are often expressed physically and sometimes invasively. Arvind Kejriwal, as Chief Minister, doing a Dharna in Delhi (on R-Day eve in a high-security zone) and obstructing normal life of citizens when his Dharna neither has permission nor is legal is not a legitimate way of expressing “opinion”. He should have been arrested and prosecuted but was let-off. But hey, our media folks and Bollywood Bimbos cry “war” when they perceive a threat to “celebrity NGOs”. One such Bollywood Bimbo is Nandita Das who calls the IB report an attack on civil society. She is the one who famously said on TV “I have a small kid, how can I live in this country” (In case Modi became PM and “secular” forces were defeated in election). And after saying that she promptly went abroad to give anti-Modi speeches and didn’t bother to vote. That’s the kind of sanctimonious bimbos who speak for democracy. We have been watching their concern for India for quite a while now.

How our ignorant media folks and Bollywood celebrities rant on some issues without much clarity is best explained in this humorous response to Barkha by R. Vaidyanathan an IIM-B professor and an expert on finance and economy:

No foreign funding for NGOs in some countries? Oh well, it is okay for India because we are poor or were. But foreign funding for NGOs need not be a natural birthright and if some Western countries don't allow it, there must be good reason. Ghulam Nabi Fai? Remember that? Even other experts like Surjit Bhalla harped on the same issue of “funding” when funding is not the only issue where certain NGOs are concerned. It is what those funds are applied for that is also important. Of course, if there are any illegalities in the funding process that adds to the crimes. And what is this outrage about? Of the 3 million plus NGOs in this country, only a handful have been named in the IB report as indulging in anti-national activities and that constitutes an “attack on civil society”? That’s like the Congress saying the killing of their members by Left-wing extremists in Chattisgarh is an “attack on democracy”. All other mass killings are fine and are normal killings and not an attack on democracy? A newspaper reported the following:

That simply means many of the NGOs who got funds under FCRA simply had a free run with donations and without any accountability. Along with FDI many foreign organisations also bring in newer technology to operations. Some foreign NGOs aren’t different in that they too bring “technology” to agitations and protests. This technology involves carefully crafted agitations and objectives and often aims to overthrow govts. Lately, it has come to be known as “sponsored revolutions”. In the response to Surjit Bhalla’s uncharacteristic protest against the IB report V HariKiran best narrated the understanding of the issue and I recommend you read the whole post. Here’s a brief excerpt:

First and foremost any protest or attempts to delay projects need not break the law. There are myriad of ways in which one can protest without breaking the law but with the clear and deliberate intent of stopping or stalling the projects. This point does not need elaboration here. The focus of IB is not on law but intent… I am at loss on the tone and tenor with which to react to his lament that IB report is “tight lipped” about institutions and officials in the UPA government agreeing with the recommendations of these FFNGOs. Suffice it to say that IB’s job is certainly not to write a thesis on “Development economics in Emerging Countries- Challenges and Solutions.”  IB is an investigating agency not the Economics department at JNU, their job is not to write about the views and actions of all the stake holders”.   

This part is a brief introduction to the series on the crimes of certain NGOs who indulge in anti-national activities. And like the Bollywood Bimbo, it need not be confused as an attack on India or civil society or on all NGOs. In this series we will look deeper into the funding and agitation technology of these NGOs.


… To be continued.


49 comments:

  1. Just like power without responsibility (Sonia) ruined India, donations without accountability also hold the same threat. Great read and waiting to read the next parts..

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  2. I am amazed at the amount of research that you have been doing for the past many years. Every topic is covered properly. Thank You.

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    1. That is the reason for the blog to be hugely popular. I feel something missing on the days this column is not published afresh. But to do such incisive analysis and put it in a comprehensive and cogent manner effectively Ravinar needs time. And the result is there for all us to see.

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  3. Author is confusing Government and India.
    Acting against the Government in power which supports the evil Industrialists is not acting against India.

    Middle class is about to be given Income Tax benefits and Industrialists are set to destroy our forests for mines and minerals. Only hurdle is environmental groups. Thats why the attack against civil groups.

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    1. @AAR

      This is a typical argument against which the article is written. There are methods to act against the govt. Not all NGOs are acting to merely save the environment and that is the point being made. Your other argument is equally dubious. Calculate the number of schemes floated by Govts for poor and the amounts involved. Any tax benefits given to middle class is peanuts in comparison. Just like you, many NGOs also harp on imaginary ideas and fears to exploit public sentiments. Give it a closer look as this blog does without jumping to claim "civil groups are being attacked". Such wild statements are indulged only by Bimbos as provided in the post itself.

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    2. Issue is between Industrialists and Civil society. You are cleverly diverting discussions about poor.

      Amount of concession given to poor and middle class is peanuts compared to the concessions given to Industrialists.

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    3. @AAR

      No.. The discussion is neither about Industrialists or Civil society. Its you and people like Nandita Das who want to make it one. I suggest you read clearly. The issue is of certain NGOs acting fraudulently with hidden agendas. And those few NGOs do not form the entire civil society. You bring in the topic of rebates to Industrialists and middle class and then accuse the author of that? Read your comment first and see who is deviating from the topic at hand. The post is hardly about any tax rebates to anyone. If you are confused, I suggest you read it more closely.

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    4. Attack against civil groups is to eliminate them for the growth of evil industrialists. Thats what I am pointing to.

      I am not a socialist. I am a capitalist but a long term not a short term.

      Any conscious Indian would know the high inflation Indians are subjected to in the last 20 years. Land prices sky rocketing even though backlog is 24 months unsold inventory. Food prices ever increasing. Who are the beneficiaries.

      I need not point out the effects - all Indians should ask themselves this question has the quality of life increased in the last 20 years?

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    5. @AAR

      All these civil groups have existed for ages and some were born in the last decade under the Congress-UPA. It is not "who or what" you are that counts for me. It is the invalid points related to the post that are of concern. Not every act is against the poor and not every act is for the rich. And all the inflation you are talking about is because the IB put out a report on certain NGOs? There isnt even a connection. The quality of life of Indians is also NOT the topic of this post. The post is restricted to an issue of the activities of certain NGOs, how their funding is perceived and the wrong info in the public domain. Not every post has to deal with inflation and quality of life of India or Indians. So I suggest you find a suitable article on those topics for your expression. I am totally against mindless unrelated rants on this blog beyond a point.

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    6. AAR hats off to your mastery of deflecting issues into another direction. Our bane not a boon to have such people part of our nation.

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    7. @AAR: I'm sure you are neither industrialist nor poor but fantasizing lot of things (assuming you do not have vested interests). 'Evil industrialists' and 'Evil NGOs' are two extreme point of views. There could be law abiding industrialists & law abiding NGOs but both of them need strong regulations and their implementation, why you are nervous?

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    8. Not so dear AAr,
      Do not consider this blog as the regular filthy vomiting in some media channels. Readers following this blog are sensible and are true nationals. I find it disturbing why people like you get an orgasm while breaking law of land. Even investigation against some suspected criminals is bothering you. It clearly shows malicious intent.
      Ravinar sir, we are there to handle these antinationals. Your time is very valuable for the extensive research you have been doing. Continue enlightening us. Lookingforward for a better Iindia.

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    9. @AAR, do you know the difference between subsidy and incentive? Let me give you an example.
      IT industry was (and may be still is) exempt from paying Income tax. In the absence of this 'incentive', IT industry may not have been there. Now that IT industry was established, every employee in this industry pays taxes and I can vouch that no industry is as clean when it comes to tax paying as IT is. Every employee is taxed at source (TDS). Plus it generates other economic activity - rents paid to builders for office space, IT employees spend their money in India, companies hire drivers, guards, cleaning staff all locally. So, in effect, the IT industry gives more to govt. in terms of taxes and GDP growth that any other non-subsidized or non-incentivized industry does - plus we earn precious dollars and euros for the country.
      I hope you get it now.

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    10. I think, this is the first time that Ravi is replying so patiently and extensively to any off the topic rants. Even after this if AAR does not get it, it should be crystal clear that he has an "Agenda".

      Pawan, what you have said is very correct. People do not understand this. By giving SOPs to an industry to start and function, you give it an opportunity to generate a lot of direct and indirect jobs.. if you had not given those SOPs , the industry would not have been there and no 1 would have a job in hand

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  4. Ravinarji
    Very good article. Looking forward to the next part.

    While I await your next part, I wanted to know if there are policies that govt can make possibily to curtail obstructionist tendancies of NGOs ? Or do we have to accept every obstruction as a loophole in a democracy and that it'll slow down things ?

    Thank you

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  5. 3 million is not a small number.Also it is highest in the world.Out of these what if few are black sheep and need to be probed? And why these sheep are worried if they are not black? Refer to TOI editorial [15.6.14] supporting these very small number of organizations with hidden agendas Modi government should ban all foreign funding for the time being and seek fresh applications from all those who wish to receive such funds.Anything wrong if a govt does that? Is it not better than total ban like what exists in developed world?

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    1. TOI has its own worries in this affair. After all the publication is also benefited by bogus foreign NGOs

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    2. Not all NGOs are bad . As stated in my comment in previous post as well, It will be hard to pin down NGOs. There are enough laws but neither the will nor competence to prosecute the black ones successfully.

      so like many other issues , even this will remain for sometime in media , some ngos will be put in pressure , but nothing much/substantive will happen.

      and even as the public attention is distracted on this, some businesses( including foreign companies) will gain ( as multi billion dollar projects stuck up due to environment clearance will be approved in the name
      economic development but quitely trivializing even genuine objections around environmental balance , ecological concerns ).

      We need to think like indians first and india first and its all round interests. Even during the kudankulam agitation - i am not sure whether the government used the situation to do a review of the objections being raised afresh ( instead of dismissing it of as an anti development agitation) and strenghtened the contingency measures in the event of a fukushima like disaster @kudunkulam.

      My concern is ineptitude, corruption, profit motive, economic urgency ( self inflicted ) should not end up india ending up with sub optimal outcomes and bad choices.

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  6. 3 million ??? Then there are more NGOs than primary schools in this country!!!

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  7. Motto of foreign funded NGOs..depect India as a poor and uncultured country and work towards making and keeping it that way.

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  8. Just wanted to check. Are there 3million ie., 30 LAKH NGO? or is the figure 3Lakh NGOs?

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    1. I have read that there is an NGO for every 700 persons. And there is one policeman for every 900 persons in India. We can calculate the no of NGOs.

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  9. Great work. And ignore the diversionary tactics of AAR

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  10. Nandita Das is the writer and director of the movie Firaaq. Firaq is totally a biased movie to instigate one community against the other. This post has enlighten us on the fake/brainwashed secularist like Nanditas. It is because of majority populace of India and Gujrat(Firaq is based 2002) that she is still alive and prosperous. Since she love humanity irrespective of peoples background I urge her to make a movie on Taslima Nasreen's novel and release it in Dhaka.

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    1. Or may be if she loves humanity so much , lets send to Iraq... with her love may be she can stop ISIS group to take over Iraq...

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  11. These NGOs ( either FF or not ) which agitates of Nuke+Coal+Hydro or other infra projects. Should be kept at Andeman and Nicobar without any electricity.

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    1. No sir not in Andemans (It is a beautiful place, they do not deserve it) but put them in a Metro slum, they will learn about poverty as well as living without electricity!!

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  12. A course in journalism can teach people how to communicate their point of view. Going by the crap our MSM journalists put out on a daily basis, its amply clear that such a course cannot teach them how to form an informed opinion before they communicate it.

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  13. Is Barkha writing using the name AAR?

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  14. NGO in India is like a big corporation OR like big Industrialist with many sub division(Small NGO) whose aim is milking foreign funds and look after western interest. I wonder how many NGOs are in China. NONE. Look at how China develop in 25 years and become world power and left India far far behind. Thanks to NGO.

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  15. We all knew that the Congress gave many NGO s a free run (broomstick party included), its time to reign in the rogue ones. Thanks for the timely article Ravinar, yours is a credible voice. Hope there is someone high up in the government reading this.

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  16. I think there is a conflict of interest in Mr. Bhalla’s position. He is not disclosing that he is associated with one such NGO when he outrages. I think the reason for Mr. Bhalla to be angry is because he is on the board of one such "NGO" Centre for Civil Society (CCS). Surjit Bhalla is on the board of Centre for Civil Society. Now let us look at what CCS does, its donors and the nature of the donors.
    1. What does Centre for Civil Society do?

    http://imgur.com/DqnG9xU
    One of the things they are recruiting: they are recruiting people to mobilize communities to oversee the implementation of the unfair RTE(Right to Education). RTE does not apply to minority schools. It applied to only majority-owned schools. So they want to harass the Hindu-owned schools. It might look innocuous to some people who might think they just want to see the law implemented. It does not seem so, at least to me, when you see a source of their funding.
    [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/DqnG9xU.png[/IMG]
    2. Who donates for Centre for Civil Society?


    CCS filed FC-6 for 2011-2012.
    http://fcraonline.nic.in/fc3_verify.aspx?RCN=231660123R&by=2011-2012
    One of the donors is FRIEDRICH NAUMANN STIFTUNG FUR DIE FREIHEIT. Now let us see who this donor is.

    3. Who/What is FRIEDRICH NAUMANN STIFTUNG FUR DIE FREIHEIT?

    From its website: “Our work is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, the German Foreign Office and, increasingly, from the European Union and other development aid policy bodies.”
    From wiki: The Foundation follows the ideals of the Protestant theologian, Friedrich Naumann. Friedrich Naumann espoused liberal imperialist. The foundation is associated with the political party Free Democratic Party.


    4. Now the question: Why does a foreign foundation, which follows the ideals of a protestant theologian and liberal imperialist, which is affiliated to a foreign political party donate to an NGO in another country to make sure the Hindu-owned schools implement an unfair(probably unconstitutional) act. Why is Surjit Bhalla not disclosing this fact when discusses the foreign funding of NGOs?

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  17. Ravinar, if one digs deeply into the affairs of people who are protesting wrt IB report, one would find a fear of loosing some benefit they may be getting directly or indirectly. Our country has been hurt by people who seem to protest for the 'poor' sitting in airconditioned rooms they have no concept of poverty a very good example is Nandita Das. Expose them with your excellent work. I hope Government takes some action to expose these crooks(using your phrase)

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  18. Nandita Das was in Sweden attending this event when she said those things about Modi.

    http://indiaunlimited.se/about/

    This event was coordinated by Indian Embassy. Why does Indian Govt sponsor events in foreign countries to discuss domestic politics and throw mud on domestic politicians?

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  19. Sir I am an educated unemployed middle aged man. How can i start an NGO and open my cash tap? I do not have any govermental reach.Can I achieve what the 3 million of them have for their prosperity?

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    1. Prerequisites: You should have a black & white beard, wear glasses, wear chappals & carry a jhola (doesn't matter if it's having goods from shoplifting). You should learn to speak Oxford type english, you should be a able to speak the word 'poor' atleast twice in every sentence. You should also be able to include atleast one of the three 'Gujarat/2002/communal forces' in every sentence.

      If you are through with this then contact Shri Yogendra Yadav a.k.a. YoYa for further guidance.

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    2. Dear Anand , There is no qualification required to start a NGO, all you need is zeal to work and an inclination towards benefit of larger number of people and society .
      The second part "opening cash tap " is slightly difficult . In earlier days of IT boom , if your parent(s) are influential government officials you can get job in Infosys. Wipro , only thing to ensure continuance of tax-free sops to them. No need to start NGO .
      You can start your own tribal art development NGO and your product will be purchased by important companies at unbelievable rate , in return for wink and "looking other way ". If you are related to local hoodlum , you can start NGO for hawker protection and can live royally from the "protection money" extracted from hawkers. Other suggested ideas NGOs for auto rickshaw driver welfare [ source is again protection money], fuel conservation NGO [ source is selling or sponsoring doubtful attachments through RTOs ] etc etc.
      If you want FF , the requirement is tougher . You have to prime the "souls of fellow pagan Hindus" for harvesting by enlightened ones. If you have political connection and access to PM'/ CM's ears then "aapki to nikal pari ". You can work as "responsible citizen " to prevent "increase in farm output" . Any attempt by " greedy capitalist " to make cheap finished product from "ore" to be nipped in the bud so that "status quo" be maintained . But the criterion remains first and foremost " connection to powerful politician through birth/marriage/liasion".

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  20. I just do not accept these celebrities using this term "Civil Society". Who are they? And those who are not in their cocktail circuit are all "Uncivilized" according to them. This is the most derogatory statement by these painted and dented.

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  21. Why is it presumably okay for RSS to receive foreign funding but not Greenpeace?

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    1. It is okay for any NGO to receive money legally as permitted by law of land. The IB report is not about FF of NGOs.
      As per news reports , more than 3 lakh NGOs exist and more than 80% of them receive foreign funding . Out of 3 lakhs , IB list less than 30 NGOs as ones who receive fund from certain corporations and these corporations are direct beneficiary of delay/blockage/repeal of project/regulation/law due to orchestrated protest of those listed NGOs . It is indirectly questioning those NGOs commitment towards "benefit of larger group" when their action is aimed at providing "windfall profit" to their donor corporation.
      The "multiple layers"of NGOs used to hide the real donor i.e using one NGO to donate to another which in turn donate to third one has been pointed out.
      So the report in not against NGO but action of certain NGOs which does not seem above board.

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    2. Why this compulsion to drag RSS into everything? And why not try to study and comprehend the issue on hand without bias colouring one's opinion before seeking answers?

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  22. I have known a friend of mine whose father is a Priest practiced (or trained) in London. He leads a church in our home town and is in the business of converting people into Christians. His group usually targets the socially most backward people and entice them with all sorts of financial support. Mind you! If you convert, you will get enough household support to sustain without even working! We were classmates and there were times when I have spent every single holiday at his home playing together. Not even once did they try to poach me. They recognize their potential prey and almost certainly who'll change. I love playing music instruments and once got stuck in their prayer hall. That was the first time I have witnessed their style of preaching. What began as a silent prayer progressively became a crying session. The preacher's voice reached unbearable decibels, screaming "Jesus-Jesus, Amen-Amen, Aleluya-Aleluya" sorts. I saw everyone in the prayer hall crying like as if they have lost their dear ones right there. Wondering why? These people target those who has a personal problem. There is nobody in the world without a problem. They try to exploit it, keep talking about it repeatedly and pretend to heal. Finally, the targets fall! I couldn't spend even a minute in the room. It was such a torment. I was the only Hindu inside the hall and the only one not screaming. They take pictures of every prayer meeting and every festival like Christmas, easter etc.. In the evening, they compile all pictures and send them to London!!! Got it yet? This is the evidence of their work what they have been instructed by their handlers to do. In return, they get enormous financial aid in favor. They had all fancy full gadgets, luxurious cars and frequent foreign trips etc.. It just doesn't end with these people. He had set up a group. E.g. If you have converted and if you bring in 3 others, you will get a ransom. And for every prey those 3 persons bring in, you get paid as well. It’s like an MLM – Multi Level Marketing. This is a huge business in rural India. You find a church, even in the most remote village. So, why are they doing it? What is that they want? It was one of these groups that was actively protesting against the Kudankulam Nuclear Plant. Their campaign was nothing but to stop Russian dominance in the Indian Nuclear projects. These NGO groups are spreading like a cancer throughout the country slowly but steadily. It has already reached the alarming levels. If left unchecked, every 5 out of 10 Indians will be a foreigner in disguise. IB has taken a baby step today. Let’s realize the anti-national motive behind these NGO and effectively ban them!

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  23. The most important thing we learned from this Blog is, out of hundreds of thousands (if not millions) NGOs, ONLY a handful of NGOs are affected or covered in IB report. Rest of, and especially those NGOs who are law abiding need not worry at all. It is worth pointing out that the number of active NGOs in the country is a strong measure of the strength of our democracy.

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  24. There are 3 types of foreign inflows:

    1. FDI - foreign direct investment in Indian industry
    2. NRIs (Indian citizens) sending their hard earned money home to family members, charities helping poor, political parties, temples etc
    3. Foreign govts and agencies sending money to NGOs in India to run their agenda, create disturbences and unrest, stall development - this is illegal and same as Money laundering. In fact, this is banned by many countries in the world

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  25. Sadbhawna samiti is a non-governmental organization (NGO).Give a Message to every human of the earth that, He arrange meditation at public place.

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  26. Few decades ago when media’s entry was not on the bigger scale, and it was a period of called war after world war two, there was a rivalry among secret services of two blocks. Secret services were carrying out clandestine activities to topple the governments in other countries which were either not toeing to their line or were from opposite blocks, either by abetting arm revolutions or killing the political leaders, CIA was much more active in this regard, one because of fear from communist block and second to capture the market. But now with the spread of media and awareness among the people instead of such direct and overt activities they took camouflage routes like violation of Human Rights etc. and latest in the series they came out with concept of NGOs in the name of social welfare activities, aids etc. But intention same, to create problem and unrest in those countries where openly direct intervention is inexecutable. Why too much activities in India? USSR is already fragmented, to penetrate in China is not possible at least for some decades, yes attempt was made, remember Tiananmen Square. India being the only big country which they perceive could be another potential danger.

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  27. Developing Rural Population - Madhusudhan Naidu's steps in Swami's Footsteps!
    madhusudan naidu

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