Home Ministry Cancels FCRA Registration Of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Chaired By Sonia Gandhi Since It Got Funds From Chinese Embassy

While speaking to the media outside Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the FCRA registration of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation was cancelled because it violated Foreign Contribution Regulation Act rules.

As per the website of the Foundation, "The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) was set up on June 21, 1991, to realize the vision of Shri Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India. Shri Gandhi dreamt of a modern India, secular, and progressive; a country that enshrines the democratic principle of equality and blends progress with rich cultural traditions. He imagined a country with an educated people free of prejudice; where women participate as equals; a nation with the space and will to empower all citizens, and especially the underprivileged".

The Foundation is chaired by Sonia Gandhi. The other trustees include Dr Manmohan Singh, Senior Advocate P. Chidambaram, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Suman Dubey, Rahul Gandhi, Dr Ashok Ganguly and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The Home Minister alleged that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received Rs. 1.35 Crore from the Chinese Embassy during 2005-07.

He further added that the foundation had claimed that the donation was used for research on India-China relations.

"RGF got Rs 1.35 crore from the Chinese embassy during 2005-07. The foundation claims that the donation was used for research on India-China relations,", Amit Shah said.

The Home Ministry had cancelled the FCRA licence of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation citing violation of rules framed under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. The Opposition parties had staged a walkout in the Parliament as it demanded a discussion on the India-China border issue.

Through a tweet, the Home Minister has also said that Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust took Rs. 50 lakh from Zakir Naik's organization in FCRA account in July 2011 without permission.