The Missionaries of Charity was founded by Mother Teresa in 1950
A day after a controversy erupted over the Central government's refusal to renew the Missionaries of Charity's license to accept foreign donations, officials of the organisation said work in its orphanages, hospices, and shelters for the poor are "going on as usual".
Officials from the Mission, founded by Mother Teresa in 1950, said that talks are on with auditors and experts to try and resolve the situation, indicating an appeal against the Centre's decision to cancel the license under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act will be made.
"Work in all our orphanages, shelters, homes is going on as usual," the official said, adding, "In India, we have been sustaining all these years with the love and support of people in this country. So we will continue to serve the poor, destitute, ailing, aged with the same gusto in the same way."
A large portion of the money spent in India comes from donations sourced locally, officials said, pleading ignorance of the exact amounts received as donations locally and through foreign donations.
The Mission, headquartered in Kolkata, has over 250 bank accounts in the country for foreign funds, another official of the organisation said.
"We are in talks with experts and auditors to resolve the situation," the official said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, in a statement on Monday, said that their renewal request of the FCRA license was refused on December 25 for not meeting eligibility conditions, indicating that there are issues with its audit report.
The Ministry also said, "No request has been received from Missionaries of Charity for review of this refusal of renewal."
The cancellation order came within weeks after a police complaint was registered against the director of a children's home run by the Missionaries of Charity in Gujarat for allegedly attempting to convert inmates.
Mother Teresa, who was canonised a Saint in September 2016, and the Missionaries of Charity which she founded, shot into prominence after she won the Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize in 1962 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
The organisation today is spread over 139 countries and runs orphanages, homes for the dying and lepers besides looking after refugees, blind, disabled, aged, alcoholics, poor and homeless, and the victims of floods, epidemics, and famine.