New Delhi, April 1 The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member, Priyank Kanoongo, on Wednesday, criticised Opposition leaders protesting outside Parliament over the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), alleging that their stand supports organisations involved in religious conversions through foreign funding.
Taking to social media platform X, Kanoongo said, "These honourable MPs, eager to change the demography of India in the pursuit of foreign donations, are agitating in support of NGOs and missionary organisations that carry out conversions with the help of foreign donations."
He also added that the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is introducing amendments to curb alleged misuse of foreign contributions for religious conversions.
"The government of respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi is amending the FCRA law to stop religious conversion through foreign donations. Many parties, including the Congress, are opposing it. If their organisations are really doing social service then why don't the people of India with a population of 140 crore donate to them," he said.
The proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act have triggered a sharp political debate.
While the Union government said that the changes aim to enhance transparency and safeguard national interests, opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left Democratic Front (LDF), say that the provisions could significantly restrict the functioning of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The FCRA regulates the receipt and utilisation of foreign funds by organisations in India.
NGOs working in sectors such as education, healthcare, environment, and human rights are required to register under the Act to receive overseas funding.
Over the years, compliance requirements have become stricter, including caps on administrative expenses and restrictions on transferring funds to smaller partner organisations.
Several grassroots groups have expressed concerns that these measures have already made their operations more challenging.
The latest amendment Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, proposes further changes.
One of the most debated provisions involves the creation of a government-appointed authority that would take control of assets created using foreign funds if an organisation's FCRA licence is cancelled or lapsed. These assets could then be managed, transferred, or sold, with proceeds going to the state.
Opposition leaders have strongly criticised the Bill, calling it "malafide" and "undemocratic".
Congress MP Manish Tewari termed the legislation "arbitrary, malafide, and capricious", saying that it fails to meet constitutional standards.
He said the Bill violates key provisions of the Constitution, including Articles 14, 19, 21, and 300A, and should therefore be opposed.
Another Congress MP, Hibi Eden, described the Bill as "draconian", alleging that it could adversely affect minority communities and organisations working in remote areas.
He said that several NGOs, such as the Missionaries of Charity, often operate in regions where government services are limited.
The Congress MP expressed concern that even minor procedural delays in licence renewal could enable authorities to take control of institutions and their assets.
He alleged that the move reflects a broader ideological agenda and called for the withdrawal of the proposed law.
Meanwhile, leaders of the LDF in Kerala have framed the amendments as part of a wider attempt to tighten control over civil society organisations.
According to them, the FCRA is increasingly being used not just to regulate foreign funding but also to determine which organisations can operate freely in the public sphere.
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