The DigiPub News India Foundation, an association of digital publications of news in India, on Wednesday, September 7, strongly condemned the Income Tax Department raids and surveys on Centre for Policy Research (CPR), global NGO Oxfam India, and Bengaluru-based Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). The raids and surveys were conducted in various states in separate cases related to alleged tax evasion, FCRA (Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act) violations, and illicit funding of registered unrecognised political parties, official sources said.
“On 7 September 2022, the Income Tax department conducted surveys at the offices of the Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation, Centre for Policy Research and Oxfam India as part of an inquiry related to alleged contravention of the FCRA. The IPSMF promotes excellence in and funds independent, public-spirited and socially impactful journalism and supports several independent digital media platforms, something that is desperately needed in the bleak news media landscape. The CPR is a public policy think tank, while Oxfam is a global organisation dedicated to fighting poverty and injustice. Their research and reports highlight data that provide valuable insights into vital socio-economic issues. All this is important for a healthy democracy,” the Digipub statement read.
It continued, “This is not the first time such raids have been conducted in recent years. Without any clarity on allegations or evidence, Income Tax teams are being used to intimidate and harass organisations involved in public service journalism. This is a brazen waste of human resources and of the efforts of government officials who have joined the service to add value to India's administrative mechanism.”
“The Income Tax department must clarify why these organisations have been subjected to searches and raids. Digipub strongly condemns the raids on IPSMF, CPR and Oxfam India. Any attack on independent journalists is a threat to freedom of press in our country. Such actions not only diminish the fourth pillar of our democracy by also exhibiting how petrified our government is of independent media,” the statement concluded.
IPSMF provides financial support to independent digital-media entities in India, including The News Minute, The Wire, The Print and Swarajya. There was no immediate comment from Oxfam India, Centre for Policy Research and IPSMF and a few others. Sources said the department is looking at the balance sheets of these organisations vis-a-vis the receipt of funds through FCRA.
Disclosure: The Independent and Public Spirited Media Foundation has provided financial support to Spunklane Media Private Limited for the purpose of reporting and publishing stories of public interest under the section ‘Delve’. IPSMF does not take any legal or moral responsibility whatsoever for the content published by Spunklane Media Private Limited on their website www.thenewsminute.com or on any of its other Platforms.