3 weeks ago
Amid Pushback, Government Ready to Refer FCRA Bill to JPC
India's Parliament is discussing a new rule book called the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill.
This Bill is about how organisations in India can receive money that comes from other countries.
Many church groups and other organisations are worried about it.
They worry that the government could take over things like schools and hospitals that were built with foreign money.
The people in Parliament do not all agree about the Bill.
Some of them want the Bill to be thrown away completely.
The government says there is nothing wrong with the Bill, but it is ready to talk more.
So the government said it would send the Bill to a special group called a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
This committee has members from both houses of Parliament and studies the Bill carefully, hearing from everyone.
The government is also trying to be friendly with Christian communities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which is one reason it is ready to listen.
The government is ready to send the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), sources told The Indian Express.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, TMC, Left parties and DMK, have demanded the Bill be withdrawn entirely, though some say they would accept a JPC referral.
Church bodies voiced fears that asset-vesting rules could penalise past investments in meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Bill proposes a new Chapter IIIA under which foreign contributions and assets created from them would vest in a government-designated authority in certain circumstances.
The move is linked to BJP outreach to the Christian community in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and efforts to secure DMK support on a future delimitation Bill.
- Who
- The Indian government, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Opposition parties including Congress, TMC, Left parties, DMK and AAP, Church leaders, DMK MP P Wilson and Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma.
- What
- The government said it is ready to refer the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a Joint Parliamentary Committee after pushback over asset-vesting and retrospective provisions.
- Where
- India, in Parliament and in meetings between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Church delegations, with political outreach focused on Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- When
- Reported during the monsoon session of Parliament, which is due to end August 13.
- Why
- To address concerns that asset-vesting rules could penalise past investments and affect religious bodies, and to resolve the standoff in Parliament; the move is also tied to BJP outreach to Christian communities and efforts to secure DMK support on a delimitation Bill.
Opposition, Civil Society & Church Bodies
Government
Withdrawal vs. committee referral
Opposition, Civil Society & Church Bodies
The Bill should be withdrawn completely; a JPC referral is only a fallback the Opposition says it can accept.
Government
There is nothing in the Bill to oppose; the government is ready to send it to a JPC for further deliberation.
Purpose of the amendments
Opposition, Civil Society & Church Bodies
The Bill tries to regulate the organisations receiving foreign contributions rather than the contributions themselves; the provisions are 'draconian'.
Government
The amendments plug gaps in the existing law on managing and disposing of foreign-funded assets when an organisation's registration is cancelled, surrendered or ceases to exist.
Impact on the Christian community
Opposition, Civil Society & Church Bodies
Asset-vesting and retrospective rules could penalise past investments and are perceived as adverse to the Christian community.
Government
The Bill is not against any community, and the authority must maintain the religious character of places of worship.
Key facts
- Bill
- Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026
- Key proposal
- New Chapter IIIA for vesting foreign contributions and assets created from them in a government-designated authority
- Contentious sections
- Section 14B (cessation of certificate), Section 16A (provisional vesting in Designated Authority), Section 16B (retrospective application)
- Monsoon session ends
- August 13
- Parties demanding withdrawal
- Congress, TMC, Left parties, DMK
- Political context
- BJP outreach to Christian community in Kerala and Tamil Nadu; efforts to secure DMK support on a future delimitation Bill
- Recent Bills sent to JPC
- Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Personal Data Protection Bill, 'One Nation, One Election' Bill
Quotes
CPM Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament from the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
“Through this Bill, the government is not trying to regulate the use of foreign contributions. It is actually trying to regulate the organisations receiving them. That is not acceptable. The provisions of the Bill are draconian. We want the Bill to be withdrawn completely. But if the government does not want to withdraw the Bill, we are okay with it being sent to the JPC.”
indianexpress.com
“There is nothing in the Bill to oppose it. It is not against any community. However, we are ready to send the Bill to a JPC for further deliberation.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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