The Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), a Hyderabad based legal rights organization, has claimed that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has revoked the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license of the Rural Development Trust (RDT), an Andhra Pradesh-based NGO, following allegations of leaking sensitive government beneficiary data to US-based organizations.
LRPF’s claim follows its persistent complaints to the MHA, accusing RDT (FCRA No: 010120001) of sharing private details of State and Union Government scheme beneficiaries with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation Inc., a US-registered public charity based in Washington, DC.
IMPORTANT:
Following our relentless complaints, the Ministry of Home Affairs has finally cracked down on the controversial Rural Development Trust (RDT) in Andhra Pradesh by refusing to renew its FCRA license (FC No: 010120001) after a thorough investigation. https://t.co/xjtvwsx0Vi— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) April 29, 2025
According to LRPF, this data exchange allowed foreign entities to tamper with beneficiary lists, including those for the Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana housing scheme, raising serious concerns about national security and privacy.
LRPF’s complaint, detailed in a March 2024 report by Organiser, highlighted RDT’s alleged misconduct. The NGO, which operates across six districts in Andhra Pradesh and three in Telangana, is accused of sharing sensitive data, including demographic details and minor students’ attendance records, with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation Inc. The US-based organization, chaired by Moncho Ferrer—who is also a key member of RDT—reportedly monitors RDT’s projects and reviews its quarterly and annual reports for US donors.
RDT NGO leaks sensitive Union Govt beneficiaries data to US organisations, LRFP seeks action and suspension of FCRA#FCRA https://t.co/LqQ6SNCRq2
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) March 28, 2024
LRPF further alleges that RDT misrepresented government welfare initiatives, renaming housing projects funded by the Andhra Pradesh government as “RDT colonies” to obscure their origins. The NGO is also accused of using these projects to promote Christian evangelical activities, constructing churches in the colonies and encouraging Scheduled Caste community members to convert for additional benefits. These actions, LRPF claims, violate FCRA regulations, which prohibit the chief functionary of an Indian recipient organization from being part of a donor organization.
In a post on X by @lawinforce on October 28, 2024, LRPF celebrated the alleged MHA decision, stating, “Following our relentless complaints, the Ministry of Home Affairs has finally cracked down on the controversial Rural Development Trust by refusing to renew its FCRA license after a thorough investigation.”
The MHA’s reported move aligns with recent amendments to the FCRA 2010, which tightened regulations to prevent foreign influence in Indian NGOs. LRPF’s complaint emphasized that RDT’s financial ties to global organizations, including Fundación Vicente Ferrer (Spain), Stiftung Vicente Ferrer (Germany), and the Vicente Ferrer Foundation (US), warranted scrutiny. The NGO’s alleged suppression of government scheme details and misuse of beneficiary data underscored the need for action.
The claimed decision has sparked widespread unrest in Anantapuram, with political parties and communist groups organizing protests against the reported MHA ruling. However, supporters of the MHA’s decision, including LRPF, maintain that the NGO’s actions compromised national security and violated the privacy of vulnerable populations.
LRPF has urged the MHA to conduct a detailed inquiry into RDT’s financial dealings and operations, citing the NGO’s global funding network, which includes partnerships with organizations like Fundacio FC Barcelona, Laliga Foundation, and The Anganwadi Project (Australia). The organization’s concerns about data security, particularly for minors and marginalized communities, remain a focal point of the controversy.
