Amit Shah assures church leaders that FCRA will not be applied retrospectively

Union Home Minister Amit Shah with CBCI delegation in Delhi on July 10. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

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 NGOs, which receive a little less than 15% of total foreign donations, Jonathan Lalremruata, adviser to the apex body of Catholic Churches in India, told The Hindu.

In a meeting held on Friday (July 10, 2026), the church body also drew attention to the ongoing violence in Manipur, to which the minister replied that the government was making sincere efforts to bring the situation under control and called upon the CBCI to mediate peace in the region, the aide said.

No common point of view

“The minister was categorical that the ongoing tension in Manipur is an ethnic conflict and should not be given a communal angle,” he said. The ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo tribesmen and the Meitei people, which started on May 3, 2023, has now spread to confrontations between the Kukis and a section of the Naga people.

The minister recommended that all cases of aggression against the church or the community be reported to the police.

“The minister asked us to ensure that a First Information Report (FIR) is filed in all such cases of aggression. When we told him that the police were refusing to register our complaints, the minister asked us to report the matter to the MHA. He also recalled several incidents where he intervened to ensure justice for the community,” said Mr. Lalremruata.

A contribution to the nation

He said Mr. Shah informed the delegation that of the total ₹17,000 crore in foreign donations that came into the country last year, around ₹3,000 crore was for Christian bodies. “The minister claimed that the bill was to regulate foreign funding and was not against any religious community. He also acknowledged the church’s contribution to nation building,” Mr Lalremruata said, giving details of the meeting that lasted 45 minutes.

Anthony Cardinal Poola, Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyderabad and President, CBCI and Anil Couto, Metropolitan Archbishop of Delhi were present in the meeting. Union Home Minister Govind Mohan and concerned officials from the Ministry’s FCRA department also attended the meeting.

A government source said the minister also told the delegation that the biggest recipient of foreign donations were not Christian NGOs but other communities. “The minister has also asked us to submit a list of NGOs whose registration we believe has been canceled or suspended in an unfair manner,” Lalremruata said.

The CBCI has sought a meeting with the Home Secretary to raise concerns over the provisions of the FCRA Amendment Act and Rules, 2026 announced on June 22. The rules directed NGOs to specify a list of activities they could carry out under five permitted categories – social, political-educational, cultural and religious – as well as indicate the geographical area where they would operate. The rules permit 16 categories of religious activities “conducting religious education, moral instruction, satsangs, discourses and meditation retreats” but specifically prohibit “proselytization”. In a memorandum submitted to the minister, the CBCI said that the term should be dropped as it has no relevance to the activities of the FCRA and without a definition, it is bound to be misused.

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, but its discussion and passage was delayed following an uproar from opposition parties. One of the key changes proposed in the bill is the appointment of a “designated authority” to take over, manage or dispose of assets generated from foreign funds when an NGO’s FCRA registration is suspended, canceled or not renewed. This body will have the powers of a civil court and can order the transfer or sale of property owned by NGOs to either the government or another body. The CBCI opposed the provision saying it could be applied retrospectively.

12 months appeal

“The minister has assured us that the provisions of the law will not be applied retroactively. And if the property has been attached, the affected party will be given 12 months to appeal,” Mr Lalremruata said.

On July 5, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma met the Home Minister with similar concerns about the FCRA. The Chief Minister emphasized that the proposed changes may disrupt the functioning of religious, educational and charitable institutions, which have long complemented the government’s efforts in the field of education, healthcare and community development.

Published – 11 Jul 2026 23:28 IST