Christian organisations and Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma have stepped up their opposition to the proposed Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Bill, 2026, urging Union Home Minister Amit Shah to reconsider the legislation and refer it to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for detailed scrutiny.
The appeals came through a coordinated social media campaign, with several Christian bodies raising concerns about provisions they believe could create difficulties for churches, charitable organisations and NGOs that receive foreign contributions.
Calls for wider consultation
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India has urged the Centre to withdraw the proposed legislation and seek wider consultation with civil society organisations before proceeding with the Bill.
CBCI Secretary General and Archbishop of Delhi Anil Joseph Thomas Couto said Christian institutions have played a long standing role in education, healthcare and humanitarian services across the country. He said the community supports financial transparency and national security but believes some provisions could create operational challenges for legitimate grassroots organisations.
The All India Christian Council has also called for the Bill to be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, describing such scrutiny as the most appropriate way forward.
Mizoram CM seeks parliamentary review
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has separately appealed to the Centre to send the proposed legislation to a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
Lalduhoma said he recently met Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi along with representatives of the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitu Committee and the Council of Churches in Mizoram. The delegation submitted a memorandum outlining its concerns over provisions of the proposed law.
The Chief Minister said the Bill should be examined through a democratic consultation process so that views and suggestions from different regions and stakeholders can be considered before the legislation is finalised.
His appeal comes days after he said Shah had assured him that the proposed amendments would not have retrospective effect.
Concerns over foreign funded organisations
The National Council of Churches in India has also asked the Centre to hold back the Bill until affected stakeholders are given an opportunity to study its provisions and suggest changes.
NCCI General Secretary Asir Ebenezer raised concerns about proposed provisions dealing with the cessation of organisations and the mechanism through which their assets could potentially be vested. He also called for clear administrative and judicial review mechanisms.
Other Christian leaders and organisations, including the National Church Mission Association, United Christian Forum and senior church figures, have similarly called for greater parliamentary scrutiny.
The central issue for the organisations is not opposition to financial accountability itself. Their representatives have repeatedly said they support transparency and lawful regulation but want safeguards that ensure genuine charitable and social welfare institutions are not adversely affected.
Bill likely to face further scrutiny
The FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha earlier this year and is expected to come up for consideration during the Monsoon Session.
With Christian organisations and regional representatives pressing for a Joint Parliamentary Committee, the government faces calls for broader consultation before the proposed changes are finalised.
For now, the debate centres on finding a balance between tighter regulation of foreign contributions and ensuring that legitimate organisations working in education, healthcare, humanitarian assistance and community welfare can continue their activities without unnecessary administrative hurdles.