New Delhi: A Joint Parliamentary Committee examining a contentious bill, which proposes to tighter government oversight on non-governmental organisations and foreign funding in the country, met for the first time on Friday.
The 31-member committee, headed by BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal, will examine the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill (FCRA), 2026 in detail before coming out with a report.
The bill seeks to create a designated authority to manage and dispose of assets if an organisation loses its FCRA licence besides proposing tighter government oversight on NGOs and foreign funding in the country.
Opposition parties, which have raised strong objections to the FCRA Bill, alleged that it targets minorities as certain provisions will choke legitimate funding for Christian NGOs and minority-run social welfare and educational institutions.
The government has rejected the charges and challenged the opposition parties to identify even one provision that discriminates against minorities. The government has also maintained that the proposed legislation is not religion-specific and is aimed at regulating foreign contributions.
The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 this year and referred to the JPC on August 12 following consistent demand of the opposition parties which also alleged that certain provisions of the legislations were highly objectionable.
The committee has been asked to submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the Winter Session of Parliament in 2026.
While introducing the bill in Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had said the legislation aims to enhance transparency and ensure proper utilisation of funds received from abroad.
Countering the opposition’s charges that the bill is “dangerous”, Rai had asserted that it is “indeed dangerous” for those who engage in “forced religious conversion” using foreign contributions, as well as to individuals who “abuse foreign funding” for personal gain.
Voicing strong concerns over the proposed amendment bill, Congress leader KC Venugopal had alleged that it targets minorities and NGOs and said the Opposition would not allow it to be passed in its present form.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma and leading Christian organisations had earlier urged the Centre to refer the contentious Bill to a joint committee of Parliament for detailed examination.
Lalduhoma and Christian organisations had met Home Minister Amit Shah and expressed their concerns over the proposed legislation.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio too had urged the Centre to refer the Bill to a joint committee, while Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma raised concerns over its provisions with the Centre.
DMK MP P Wilson also led a delegation of Church leaders to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking withdrawal of the amendment bill and the repeal of Section 15 of the existing law. DMK chief MK Stalin also urged the Centre to withdraw the FCRA bill.
NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule had opposed the FCRA bill in its present form, saying one cannot always view foreign funding with suspicion, and urged the Centre to either withdraw it or refer it to a joint committee.
Some US lawmakers of both Democratic and Republican parties, including Senator James Risch, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have voiced concerns over the planned changes to the FCRA, saying they could adversely impact Christian organisations and other civil society groups.
India, however, had rejected the criticism, describing the legislative matter as an internal affair.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said the proposed changes to the FCRA are an internal legislative issue of India.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju alleged that a campaign was being run to mislead certain communities.
On Wednesday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had nominated Rajya Sabha members Javed Ali Khan and James Pangsang Kongkal Sangma as special invitees to the JPC.
