Kerala NGO diverts funds via J&K to build mosques in Punjab's Faridkot

Chandigarh, March 31

A Kerala-based NGO, Relief and Charitable Foundation of India (RCFI), which has no unit in Punjab, has caught the eye of the security agencies over its “curious” funding of the construction of three mosques in Faridkot district.

The funds, received from persons or organisations abroad, were diverted through two residents of Baramulla in Kashmir, who reportedly supervised the construction and paid the bills. These mosques, built between 2015 and 2017, are located within 40-70 km from the Pakistan border.

A report by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs states the RCFI diverted international funds worth Rs 70 crore for the construction of mosques. The MHA had stopped the funding in August 2021, it is learnt. The Punjab Police and other security agencies had also red-flagged the matter.

There are more than 200 mosques in the border districts of Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot. Sources said many of these were built recently. Their location close to the border is also the subject of investigation. The RCFI has not responded in detail to queries made by The Tribune. One of its spokespersons, who identified himself as Salaam Ustaad confirmed the organisation had no unit in Punjab. He claimed a detailed reply to the allegations had already been sent to the MHA. He insisted the RCFI indulged in social work which was suffering due to the “arbitrary ban” on international funding imposed by the Union Government.

The RCFI website says it is a certified non-denominational organisation founded in 2000, with the mission to uplift the socio-cultural aspects of backward sections at the grass-roots level.

It does not mention the construction of mosques as its mandate. It claims, “The genesis of the RCFI is to improve the quality of life for the most marginalised communities. The organisation has directly reached almost 2.35 million people in 24 states with the support of national and international funding agencies and individual private donors. It works in diverse fields from water and sanitation to health, sustainable measures to support livelihood and disaster risk reduction and response, cultural restoration to school improvement, and family food security to individual special care programme.”

2 from Baramulla oversaw work, paid bills

• RCFI is under lens for using donations for building mosques
• Has no unit in Punjab, funded construction of 3 mosques in Faridkot
• Funds diverted via two of Baramulla, who paid bills
• Mosques located within 40-70 km from Pakistan border