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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey on Friday called for a "constructive discussion" on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) Bill, emphasising that the opposition's request for transparency and debate should not be viewed as a sign of personal or political enmity towards the government.
Speaking to ANI, Dubey said, "The opposition wants the draft of the FCRA law to be presented and discussed. There should be a constructive discussion. We are not enemies of the government." Referring to remarks from US lawmaker Riley Moore, who raised objections to proposed modifications to India's FCRA, claiming the provisions could enable state control over churches and philanthropic institutions which might strain bilateral ties, Dubey noted that, "The Ministry of External Affairs has already dismissed the matter concerning the US Parliament." Earlier, expressing his concerns on social media platform X, the Republican Congressman from West Virginia said, "But despite this long Christian history, India's Parliament is considering amending the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities. This is a clear attack against Christians. If this bill proceeds in this way, it would be a point of major concern in our bilateral relationship with India." Dismissing the criticism, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday asserted that legislative affairs remain an internal prerogative governed by Parliament. Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal pointed out that various international jurisdictions, including the United States, enforce regulations on foreign monetary inflows. "Regarding the issue you are referring to, we have seen it, and several comments have been made on it. As far as legislative matters are concerned, and particularly matters relating to India's own legislation, this is an internal matter for us, on which our Parliament takes the decision. I would also like to tell you that there are several countries in the world, including the United States, that regulate foreign funds and foreign financing," Jaiswal said. The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, seeks to establish a Designated Authority tasked with overseeing foreign contributions and assets acquired through such capital in instances where an entity's FCRA registration stands cancelled, surrendered or lapsed. The proposed legislation explicitly mandates that if such assets comprise a place of worship, the Designated Authority is required to maintain its religious character intact. Furthermore, it seeks to scale down the maximum penalty for statutory violations from five years' imprisonment to one year. (ANI)
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