Amit Shah assures Church leaders: FCRA Bill won't apply retrospectively, not anti-Christian
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) that the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 is not discriminatory against Christian organisations, and its provisions will not be applied retrospectively. The assurance came during a meeting on Friday (July 10, 2026) between Mr. Shah and a delegation led by Anthony Cardinal Poola, Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyderabad and President of CBCI.
According to Jonathan Lalremruata, advisor to the CBCI, Mr. Shah stated that the Bill is intended to regulate foreign funding and is not targeted at any religious community. He noted that Christian bodies received approximately ₹3,000 crore out of the total ₹17,000 crore in foreign donations to India last year. The Minister acknowledged the church’s contributions to nation-building, Mr. Lalremruata said.
The delegation also raised the ongoing violence in Manipur. Mr. Shah described the conflict as ethnic, not communal, involving tribal Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities, and urged the CBCI to help broker peace. He advised that any attacks on the church or community be reported to the police, and if police refuse to register complaints, the matter should be escalated to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The meeting addressed the FCRA Amendment Rules, 2026, notified on June 22, which require NGOs to specify activities under five categories and bar 'proselytisation.' The CBCI had objected to the term, arguing it lacks definition and could be misused. Mr. Shah assured that the government would consider their concerns.
On the Bill's provision for a 'designated authority' to manage assets of NGOs with suspended or cancelled registrations, Mr. Shah clarified it would not be applied retrospectively. The CBCI had sought this assurance.
