There are more than 200 mosques in the border districts of Punjab, Firozpur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot. It is said that many of these were made recently. Their location near the border is also a subject of investigation.
Chandigarh: A Kerala-based NGO 'Relief and Charitable Foundation of India (RCFI)' has come under the scanner of security agencies for funding the construction of three mosques in Punjab's Faridkot district. Funds received from individuals or organizations abroad were diverted by RCFI through two residents of Baramulla in Kashmir. These men allegedly supervised the construction of mosques and paid the bills. These mosques built between 2015 and 2017 are only 40-70 km from the Pakistan border. are located within the range of.
A report by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) states that RCFI used international funds of Rs 70 crore to build mosques. It has been learned that the MHA had stopped funding of this NGO in August 2021. Punjab Police and other security agencies had also warned on this matter. There are more than 200 mosques in the border districts of Punjab, Firozpur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot. It is said that many of these were made recently. Their location near the border is also a subject of investigation.
However, Salam Ustad, who claims to be the spokesperson of RCFI, has confirmed that his organization does not have any unit in Punjab. He also said that 'already the reply to these allegations has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs in detail. He stressed that the RCFI is engaged in social work, which is upset because of the central government's "arbitrary restrictions" on international funding.
The RCFI website states that it is a non-sectarian organization formed in the year 2000. Whose mission is to uplift the socio-cultural aspects of the backward classes at the grassroots level. Building mosques is not included in its work. It has been claimed on the website that the job of RCFI is to improve the standard of living of the most marginalized communities. RCFI has been receiving funding from national and international funding agencies and private donors. RCFI has direct access to around 23.5 lakh people in 24 states.