FCRA Bill sent to JPC via voice note amid fierce protest by Opposition MPs

The FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 was referred to a 31-member JPC through a voice vote amid Opposition protests and allegations that it targets minorities and NGOs. Akhilesh Yadav and Kiren Rijiju clashed over the claims, with Rijiju challenging the Opposition to identify any provision targeting minorities.Kiren Rijiju and Akhilesh Yadav The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Wednesday after the Centre moved a motion in the Lok Sabha amid fierce protests and objections from Opposition MPs. The motion was accepted through a voice vote.Akhilesh Yadav and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also engaged in a sharp faceoff over the Opposition's allegation that the proposed legislation targets minorities. Yadav said the entire Opposition opposed the bill and asked, "Which bill has this government brought so far that was not against minorities?" Rijiju hit back by challenging Yadav to point out a single provision that targets minorities, saying the Opposition was misleading the House.Yadav said, "We, the entire Opposition, are against the FCRA bill that the government is bringing. Honourable Speaker, the honourable minister is saying that this bill is not against minorities. I want to ask the honourable minister, tell us, which bill has this government brought so far that was not against minorities?"Rijiju responded, "I challenge Akhilesh Yadav ji to tell us one point that is against minorities. You only want to mislead the House." He also said there was no question of targeting minorities and that the country could not allow foreign funds to flow without a legal framework. Earlier, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai moved the motion to refer the FCRA Bill to a JPC after the Lok Sabha resumed proceedings following its adjournment in the morning.Congress MP KC Venugopal demanded that the government withdraw the bill, alleging that it was aimed at targeting minorities and NGOs. He said, "This is clearly for targeting minorities and NGOs. The government should withdraw this bill." Rijiju said the Congress had itself demanded that the bill be referred to a JPC and asked the Opposition to use the committee process to raise its concerns. He said there was no question of targeting minorities and told Venugopal, "Don't mislead the House."Rijiju said the Opposition should welcome the government's decision to refer the bill to a JPC because referring legislation to a committee would allow detailed discussion. He also challenged the Opposition to identify any provision that was against minorities.The proposed Joint Committee will have 31 members, comprising 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha members will be nominated by the Speaker, while the Rajya Sabha members will be nominated by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.The committee will conduct an in-depth examination of the legislative provisions and submit its report to Parliament by the last day of the first week of the Winter Session of 2026. The quorum for the committee's sittings will be one-third of its total membership.The motion also recommends that the Rajya Sabha join the Joint Committee and communicate the names of its members to the Lok Sabha.The Congress has maintained its opposition to the legislation and sought its complete withdrawal. The Opposition has previously raised concerns that the proposed amendments could be used to target civil society and minority institutions.The FCRA regulates the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contributions by individuals, associations and organisations in India. It seeks to ensure that foreign contributions are used for the purposes for which organisations receive them.The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 and is currently under consideration of Parliament. The revised FCRA Rules, 2026 were notified on June 22 and are in force.US LAWMAKER ALSO CRITICISED FCRA BILLThe proposed amendments have also drawn criticism from US Congressman Riley Moore, who described them as "a clear attack against Christians". Moore alleged that the legislation could allow the government to take control of churches and religious charities and warned that the issue could become a bilateral matter between India and the United States.WHAT THE FCRA BILL PROPOSESThe proposed legislation seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, which governs how NGOs, charitable trusts, educational institutions, religious bodies and associations receive and use foreign donations. Under the existing rules, organisations must obtain registration from the Ministry of Home Affairs before accepting foreign contributions, and they must renew that registration every five years.According to the background note accompanying the Bill, India had 14,449 active FCRA registrations as of July 15, 2026. Another 22,498 registrations had been cancelled, while 15,212 had expired. Between 2019 and 2022, organisations registered under the Act received foreign contributions worth Rs 55,741 crore.One of the significant proposals is the creation of a Designated Authority appointed by the Central Government. The authority would have powers to take over the management of foreign contributions and assets created using those funds if an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or not renewed.- EndsPublished On: Aug 12, 2026 14:29 IST