India's FCRA Bill meets resistance from Northeast states and churches

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said a decision on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill is pending the Business Advisory Committee’s approval, adding that formal comments will follow once the committee finalises its view. He also noted disciplinary steps against MPs who staged a protest in the Lok Sabha.

In the Northeast, state leaders warned the legislation could allow the government to seize assets of NGOs, hospitals, schools and hostels if a foreign‑funded organisation’s FCRA licence is cancelled. Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma said his party will vote against the bill, and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma led a delegation of church leaders to New Delhi to urge Home Minister Amit Shah to halt the legislation. The United Christian Forum and other faith bodies have called for the bill to be referred to a parliamentary standing committee for broader consultation. The government defends the amendments as necessary for transparency and national security, while critics argue they threaten essential community services that rely on foreign aid.