Ever since the notification of the formation of the drafting committee for Lokpal Bill, NGOs have come under attack from several persons. Someone wanted them to be included in Lokpal Bill. Someone made vague accusations of corruptions against NGOs. It seems to be an attempt to divert attention from the real issue of corruption by public servants.
The accusations are NGOs are not accountable to anyone, one can declare oneself an NGO and can become very rich very quickly and you need not explain how you got the money and how you spent it, nearly all the NGOs who set out to save India’s environment are frauds, NGOs set to save poor spend time and money on international conferences and senior government officials become NGOs after retirement while politicians use NGOs to hide black money.
Since no NGO is mentioned by name it is difficult to know who those NGOs are. Some are said to be members of NAC. Aruna Roy and Harsh Mander are members of NAC. NDTV had campaigns to save tigers and beaches but it is not an NGO. There is Centre for Science and Environment which takes up some causes.
If foreign financiers give money to NGOs who claim to save environment or poor and the NGOs are not doing that it is for the financiers to question them file cases for fraud. If the financiers are fools and are taken for a ride by NGOs it is their problem. If NGOs get money from government then the government comes into picture. Anyway, nothing prevents the government from enacting a law that makes NGOs accountable.
Some people who till the other day blamed politicians and democracy for various ills have suddenly developed love for politicians and democracy. They have either changed their colours or are showing their true colours.
NGO’s must be included in the Bill, there are some NGO’s run by Hindu and Catholic institutions that are complete frauds. They misuse funds and take advantage of weaker sections of soceity.