Meghalaya Congress protests proposed FCRA amendments

The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee held a peaceful protest march in Shillong against proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Party members expressed concerns that the changes could severely impact churches, educational institutions, hospitals, NGOs, and other social organizations that rely on foreign donations.

Senior Congress leader Vincent H. Pala raised specific alarms regarding Clause 16A, claiming that if an organization fails to renew its FCRA registration, has it canceled, or voluntarily surrenders it, the government could seize its assets. Pala argued that this provision could lead to the seizure of entire properties even if only a small fraction of the funding was foreign and the rest was sourced locally.

While stating the party does not oppose regulations intended to prevent the misuse of foreign contributions, the Congress leadership argued that the proposed amendments exceed the necessary scope of regulation. The protest aimed to build public opinion before the bill is potentially introduced in Parliament.