FCRA complaint against NGO that led Sterlite stir, Parliament told

The ministry of home affairs informed Parliament on Wednesday that it has received some complaints related to the violation of foreign funding laws by ‘The Other Media’, a non-government organisation which organised protests and demonstrations that led to the closure of the Vedanta-owned Sterlite copper plant in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi in 2018. Responding to a question by Congress MP Naranbhai J Rathwa, Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, “Some representations/complaints alleging violation of the provision of the Foreign Contribution Act, 2010 by the association ‘The Other Media, New Delhi’ have been received in this Ministry. Inputs of field agency have also been received.” Vedanta’s Sterlite copper smelting plant in Thoothukudi was shut in May 2018 following public protests after 13 people were killed in police firing on the 100th day of the demonstration demanding permanent closure of the plant, alleging that it caused severe pollution. Rathwa had asked if the ministry had received complaints against ‘The Other Media’ for misuse of funds for organising protests and demonstrations around Vedanta’s Sterlite Copper Plant in Thoothikudi in Tamil Nadu, the details of funds received by it and whether any action would be taken against the organisation.