3 weeks ago
Nagaland CM urges Shah to reconsider FCRA amendments
In India, there is a law called the FCRA that controls how charity groups can receive money from other countries.
The government wants to change this law and has already changed some of its rules in June.
Under the new rules, groups must pick their purpose from a set list, and religious conversion is not one of the allowed purposes.
The Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, is worried these changes will make it harder for churches and charities to do their work.
Nagaland is a state where more than nine out of ten people are Christian, and churches there run schools, hospitals and help for poor people.
Rio wrote a letter to the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, asking him to think again about the changes.
He also wants a group of lawmakers in Parliament to study the amendments and listen to the people they affect.
Rio says churches have helped a lot during floods, landslides and the COVID-19 pandemic.
He asks that church groups not be treated unfairly because of what some people assume.
He hopes the government will review each case carefully so that genuine help for communities can continue.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging him to reconsider proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).
Rio proposed referring the FCRA amendments to a parliamentary committee for comprehensive examination, with stakeholders given an opportunity to present their views.
Rio warned the changes could burden churches and Christian charitable organisations and affect education, healthcare and social welfare programmes across Nagaland.
The FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, 2026, and may be taken up during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament.
More than 90 per cent of Nagaland's population is Christian, and the Nagaland Baptist Church Council and the Bishop of Kohima have submitted representations against the amendments.
- Who
- Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Christian church bodies including the Nagaland Baptist Church Council and the Bishop of Kohima.
- What
- Rio urged Shah to reconsider proposed FCRA amendments and suggested referring them to a parliamentary committee for examination, warning of burdens on churches and charity-run welfare programmes.
- Where
- Nagaland, India — Rio addressed the letter to the Union Home Minister from Kohima.
- When
- The FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, 2026; amended rules were notified in June 2026; Rio wrote to Shah on Monday, August 10, 2026, during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament.
- Why
- Rio says the changes could burden churches and Christian charitable organisations and affect education, healthcare and social welfare programmes in Nagaland, where more than 90 per cent of the population is Christian.
Church and state government concerns
Union government's regulatory approach
Impact on church-run welfare programmes
Church and state government concerns
Rio warns the amendments would burden churches and Christian charitable organisations and disrupt education, healthcare, social welfare and livelihood programmes, especially for smaller grassroots institutions in remote areas.
Union government's regulatory approach
The government's FCRA amendments and June 2026 rules require NGOs to select from a predefined list of purposes, aiming to ensure transparency, accountability and national interest in foreign funding — interests Rio himself says must be protected.
Proselytisation and religious conversion
Church and state government concerns
Some Christian organisations' FCRA renewal applications were reportedly declined over alleged religious conversion, and Rio urges careful, objective, case-by-case review so genuine welfare activities are not harmed by broad assumptions.
Union government's regulatory approach
The amended rules explicitly exclude proselytisation from several categories eligible for FCRA registration, reflecting official concerns that foreign contributions may have been used for religious conversion.
How the amendments should be reviewed
Church and state government concerns
The amendments should be referred to a parliamentary committee for comprehensive examination, with stakeholders given a chance to present their views, to address concerns, remove apprehensions and build public confidence.
Union government's regulatory approach
The NDA government maintains the changes serve transparency and national interest, and Rio suggested that reconsidering the amendments would demonstrate the government's inclusive and positive approach.
Key facts
- Chief Minister
- Neiphiu Rio (Nagaland)
- Union Home Minister
- Amit Shah
- Bill
- FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026
- Bill introduced
- Lok Sabha, March 25, 2026
- Amended rules notified
- June 2026
- Key rule change
- NGOs must choose from a predefined list of purposes; proselytisation excluded
- Christian population of Nagaland
- Over 90 per cent
- Representations submitted by
- Nagaland Baptist Church Council and Bishop of Kohima
Sources
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