The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) is a statutory body, established by the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, an Act of the Parliament. Its mandate is “to protect, promote and defend child rights” in Karnataka. The commission has all the powers of a civil court while enquiring into any matter. This statutory body is however being headed by Fr. Antony Sebastian, a man who runs a non-governmental organization (NGO) named Empowerment of Children and Human Rights Organisation (ECHO) that receives massive funds from foreign Christian organizations.
ECHO was founded by Fr. Antony Sebastian O. Praem, in 2000. The mission of ECHO states that it was started to empower Children in Conflict with Law and Children in need of Care and Protection, under the Indian Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act 2000. It provides legal aid, counselling, and releasing children from Government Observation Homes, Reception Centers and Children’s Homes along with providing informal education, vocational training, job placements and follow ups to monitor the released juveniles. What is important to note is that ECHO works with a network of NGOs and lobby at Central and State Government level to implement laws concerning Child Rights.
Any NGO that receives foreign funding from Christian organizations is a matter of concern. In this case, a person who heads such an organization also heads an Indian statutory body which is not just a threat to national security but also an infringement on Indian sovereignty.
ECHO’s accounts
The Commune found that ECHO is heavily funded by foreign Christian organizations. For the financial year 2018-19, ECHO received ₹97,41,020.98 (₹97 lakhs) directly from a foreign source. It was around the same for the year 2017-18 – ₹97,32,148.89. In 2016-17, it received ₹92,04,534.55 (₹92 lakhs) as foreign funds. It received ₹11,389,721.17 (₹1.13 crores) in 2015-16 and ₹15,705,305.04 (₹1.5 crores). in 2014-15. Thus, over the past five financial years, it had received a total of ₹46031709.65 (₹4.6 crores) of foreign funds. Most of the sources are Catholic aid organizations.
Convent Maria Opdracht & Augustine Stewardship are catholic funded groups/churches whose primary aim is proselytization in the garb of doing welfare activities.
Manos Unidas is a Spanish development NGO of the Catholic church whose foundation as it states “is the Gospel and the Social Doctrine of the Church”.
MISEREOR is a German Catholic Bishops’ Organization and is the official aid framework of the Catholic Church in Germany – since 1962. The German government under German law is obligated to provide financial support for the development work of church-aid organizations.
MISEREOR is a problematic organization. It has funded (still funds) many radical Palestinian NGOs. It had sponsored a 2013 conference, organized by radical Israeli NGO Zochrot calling for the ‘elimination of Israel’.
As clearly mentioned in ECHO NGO mission statement Fr. Antony Sebastian wants to lobby Central and State governments with the help of above NGOs in framing policies which can suit their agendas.
KSCPCR which has all powers of the civil court is in effect run by a man heading an NGO that is massively funded by the foreign Church aided organizations who can leverage his power and easily convert gullible children to Christianity. Thus, it is apparent that Fr. Anthony Sebastian being Chairperson of the KSCPCR is a clear case of conflict of interest. This is also a violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.
Concerns have already been raised over Fr. Anthony being the Chairperson of KSCPCR. A complaint has been sent to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa by Legal Rights Observatory, an organization working in the area of national security. In its complaint, it has asked for the immediate sacking of Fr. Anthony and also a detailed investigation of financials both Fr. Anthony and ECHO.