Tamil Nadu: MHA suspends the FCRA license of Jesus Redeems

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to suspend the FCRA license of Tamil Nadu-based Jesus Redeems, a contentious Christian missionary organisation led by Mohan C Lazarus. ‘Jesus Redeems’ is a registered Christian religious organisation operating in Tamil Nadu under the Indian Trusts Act of 1882, and holds FCRA registration number 076160018. Its founder and signatory authority, Mohan Lazarus, also known as Mohan C. Lazarus, serves as the Chief Executive Officer of a US-registered Public Charity organization named ‘Jesus Redeems Ministries Inc.’ A central allegation revolves around recent amendments to the FCRA rules, explicitly stating that the Chief Functionary of the recipient Indian organisation should not be affiliated with the donor organisation. The LRPF said in its complaint, “The act of Mohan Lazarus alias Mohan C. Lazarus as a Chief Functionary to the ‘Jesus Redeems’ attracts the various sections of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 which amounts to suspension/cancellation of the FCRA registration of the said organisation: Chapter II, 9 : causing, disharmony between religious, racial, social, linguistic or regional groups, castes or communities.