Organisations engaged in religious conversion shall be denied FCRA registration: Madras HC
Only organisations whose activities do not affect nation’s secular fabric can receive foreign funds, says the Madurai Bench, rejecting an appeal by a charitable trust for registration under the Act
The Madras High Court has ruled that religious organisations involved in converting individuals from one faith to another will be denied Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration. The court heard the appeal of Kanzeon Public Charitable Trust, founded in 2021 and registered under Income Tax Act sections 12AB and 80G.
The trust sought FCRA registration for its Zen Meditation Centre in Kodaikanal, which they claimed was not a religious organisation. However, the court disagreed, citing the Abrahamic religions' inherent exclusivity and the fact that Christianity's mission is to bring everyone within the fold of Jesus Christ. The court emphasized that an organisation primarily engaged in systematically teaching Indian Knowledge Systems, such as Vedanta, the Bhagavad Gita, and Yoga, through structured classes and publications, cannot be classified as a religious institution.
The court also highlighted the importance of accurately disclosing the nature of the organisation to avoid rejection of the FCRA application.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
