MASS, 5 NE NGOs have links with ultras : MHA

NEW DELHI, April 24: In a development that may raise the hackles of the human rights bodies, the Minister of Home Affairs (MHA) has identified the Assam based Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) as among six Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) having links with the militant outfits. The fall out of the move is that all the state governments in the Northeastern Region have been alerted not to release any government funds to any NGO in the region without proper verification. It has been decided that the Union government would release funds to NGOs in the region only after physical verifications are conducted by officials to ensure that Government funds are not siphoned off by the militant outfits, disclosed the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, I. D. Swami here today. The issue figured during the Question Hour at the Lok Sabha, when several BJP members alleged misuse of funds sanctioned to the NGOs by the insurgent outfits in the region. The M.Ps cited the case of Tripura Development Board (TDP), which they alleged was taken over by sympathisers of NLFT. The NGOs do not, directly engage themselves in activities supporting or promoting the militants outfits openly, the Minister said. However, few NGOs have been seen to be championing the cause of self-determination for the indigenous people, organising protest actions to condemn the alleged harassment and atrocities on militants, the NGO activists and the public by the security forces, Swami added. The Minister then named the following organisations, the Naga People's Movement for Human Rights and Naga Students Federation in Nagaland, the MASS, Northeast Coordination Committee on Human Rights and Northeast Indigenous Tribal Peoples' Forum in Assam and All Manipur Students Union in Manipur as NGOs having close links with the underground organisations. A close watch is kept on the activities of these NGOs. The state government of Manipur and Assam have registered case against the All Manipur Students Union and the MASS for their alleged links with the militant organisation, the Minister asserted. Replying to a question, the Minister said the Government has no information whether these NGOs were receiving funds from abroad. BJP MP Aditya Nath Yogi who alleged that using the NGOs as fronts the militant outfits in the Northeast were misusing Government funds tabled the question, "Is the Government aware from where NGOs are getting funds ?" The BJP MP further wanted to know whether the Government had any information that the countries surrounding the Northeast region were also financing the NGOs to assist the militant outfits. Joining issues with him, Swami Chinanmayanand M.P. alleged that an organisation with close links with the underground outfits have banned government schools in Tripura. He alleged that the same organisation has siphoned out Rs 85 crore sanctioned to Tripura Development Board and given it to the NLFT. The Shiv Sena M.P. Mohan Rawle joined in and sought a reply on whether some of the Madrassas were functioning with finances from foreign agencies, which wanted to fan trouble in India. Rawle said he was referring to involvement of ISI in growth of madrassa in the country.