Mizoram CM, Christian bodies appeal to Centre to roll back FCRA Bill, refer to JPC

The Chief Minister of Mizoram, Lalduhoma, and several Christian institutions on Sunday (August 9, 2026) made coordinated appeals on social media to the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, urging the Centre to roll back the Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and refer it to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further consultation. According to sources, the government is likely to consider the appeal despite earlier plans to discuss the Bill in the Lok Sabha on August 12, 2026. The monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled to conclude on August 13.

Organisations including the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), and the Council of Churches in Mizoram posted their appeals on YouTube, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Since July 5, the Christian groups, along with Mr. Lalduhoma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, have held at least four meetings with Mr. Shah to express their objections, saying the Bill's provisions are against minorities, particularly the Christian community.

In a Facebook post, Mr. Lalduhoma said he met Mr. Shah on August 6, 2026, in New Delhi along with representatives of all Christian denominations and placed their concerns and suggestions regarding certain provisions of the Bill. He said, “In the spirit of democratic consultation, we respectfully appeal to the Union government to refer the Bill to a JPC. This would provide an opportunity for concerns and suggestions from different parts of the country, and across stakeholders, to be carefully examined and considered before the legislation is finalised.” He expressed hope that the Union government would give due consideration to the request in the larger interest of inclusive, transparent, and consultative policymaking.

The CBCI, the apex body of the Catholic church in India, also made a similar appeal. Jonathan Lalremruata, advisor to the CBCI, said, “As long-standing partners in nation-building through education, healthcare, and humanitarian service, we respectfully appeal to the Government of India to reconsider and roll back the FCRA Amendment Bill 2026. While we fully support transparency and national security, certain provisions present significant operational challenges for genuine, grassroot charitable organisations. We humbly request that the Bill be referred to a JPC to facilitate structured dialogue with civil society and faith-based leaders, ensuring we can work together toward balanced solutions that protect both regulatory integrity and essential community service.”

Reverend Asir Ebenezer, general secretary of the NCCI, who met Mr. Shah at the Parliament House complex on August 6, said in a video message that a comprehensive review of the FCRA Act, which came into effect in 2010, is also required. He said, “We have made many representations to the Government of India, latest on August 6. We again appeal to the Home Minister to recommend that the Bill be held back until all stakeholders have a fair opportunity to sit and put together a system that will make all accountable — those who are registered under the FCRA as well as the regulatory authority. This will provide the NDA government to make amendments to the FCRA Act, 2010. We hope the Home Minister and the Union government will heed this last minute appeal of the Christian community.”

The FCRA Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, 2026, could not be passed earlier due to an uproar from Opposition parties. One of its key provisions is the appointment of a 'designated authority' to take over, manage, or dispose of assets created from foreign funds when an NGO's FCRA registration is suspended, cancelled, or becomes invalid. The government had earlier indicated that the Bill was not aimed at Christian NGOs, which receive a little under 15% of total foreign donations.

The coordinated appeals come as the central government faces scrutiny over the proposed legislation from various civil society and faith-based organisations, who argue that the changes could hinder the work of charitable entities across the country. The monsoon session's concluding days are now expected to see consultations on the matter, with sources suggesting that the government may defer the Bill's passage to allow broader input from stakeholders.