Dharamshala, 5th April: India now enables Karmapa supporters to donate to his cause, which is good news for Karmapa supporters all around the world, especially in the United States. Gyuto Tantric Monastery has been granted a five-year FCRA license by the Centre. The monastery served as the Karmapa’s temporary residence.

The Himachal police raided the monastery in 2011 and claimed to have seized $7.05 crore in foreign currencies. Later His Holiness was given a clean chit. Gyuto monastery abbot Lobsang Khedup verified the news according to ET(economic times), saying, “The FCRA license is to take donations from outside, notably the United States.”

His Holiness The 17th Karmapa, who arrived in India in 2000, obtained a Commonwealth of Dominica passport in 2017-18. He is one of Tibetans’ most revered leaders, second only to the Dalai Lama, and India has recently attempted to interact with him. In line with his teachings, he is supposed to be traveling between European countries.

According to ET, the monastery was granted an FCRA license for Buddhist teachings under the religious-cum-education category. They stated that the license is valid for five years, or until 2027. The action is significant because the India-China border conflict in eastern Ladakh is inextricably related to the Tibet question. Since May 2020, Indian and Chinese forces have engaged in fierce clashes in eastern Ladakh. Between New Delhi and Beijing, 15 rounds of military-diplomatic talks have taken place.

In order to accept foreign funds, NGOs must register with the MHA, which assigns a unique FCRA registration number that must be updated every five years. FCRA licenses must have a specific cultural, economic, educational, religious, or social agenda. Every NGO must open an ‘FCRA account’ with the SBI, Main Branch, New Delhi, for the inaugural reception of foreign contributions from a foreign source under the modified Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2020.

The new rule prohibits public servants from receiving foreign donations, while all office bearers, directors, or key functionaries of a person receiving foreign contributions must have an Aadhaar number as an identifying document. The government extended the validity of NGOs’ FCRA registration for three months, until June 30, 2022, last month.

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