The court said the Kanzeon trust should have disclosed its religious character when it applied to receive foreign contributions.
The case involved a Zen meditation centre in Kodaikanal, established by the Kanzeon Public Charitable Trust in 2021. The trust argued that its activities were not religious. The court said the trust itself had declared an adherence to Zen Buddhist philosophy and should have identified itself as a religious organisation.
A bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and M.D. Sumathi said religious organisations whose activities do not undermine India’s secular fabric or social harmony may seek FCRA registration. It also said organisations engaged in converting people from one faith to another should be denied registration. The bench said the restriction applies across religions, including to Hindu organisations involved in Ghar Wapsi. The court expressly said it was not accusing Kanzeon of having a conversion agenda.
The judges made broader and contested generalisations about religious traditions in the ruling. They described Hinduism as inclusive and Abrahamic religions as inherently exclusive. The court connected those remarks to its concern about foreign funding and India’s secular character. Those characterisations were the court’s observations, not findings about the specific trust.
The court said structured teaching of Vedanta, the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and Yoga, as well as publications, research and manuscript preservation, may be classified as educational or cultural work. Applicants must accurately disclose what they do. The bench found the government’s refusal justified and dismissed the appeal. It also said there is no unconditional right to receive foreign contributions.