FCRA amendment bill draws opposition flak in Kerala ahead of polls

Bengaluru: Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concerns over provisions in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill passed on March 25, particularly those related to the takeover of assets.

In his letter, Vijayan said the existing Act already provides adequate powers to address misuse by entities permitted to receive foreign contributions. “Certain clauses in the amendment could disrupt the functioning of institutions engaged in education, healthcare, and welfare of marginalised communities, even when there are no substantial lapses on their part.”

The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in March by minister of state for Home Nityanand Rai on behalf of home minister Amit Shah. The government maintained that stricter provisions are necessary to curb misuse of foreign funds, including for forced religious conversions and personal gain.


Opposition members, however, argued that the amendments grant excessive powers to the executive and could adversely impact civil society organisations and NGOs.

The issue has gained political traction in poll-bound Kerala, with AICC leader Rahul Gandhi saying genuine welfare organisations, particularly Christian groups, could face constraints in accessing foreign funding.

Christian bodies in the state, including the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), have also raised concerns with the Centre. Thrissur Archbishop Andrews Thazhath termed the Bill “unconstitutional” and warned that licences are being cancelled even for minor infractions.

Meanwhile, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar sought to allay fears, stating that he had spoken to Union ministers Amit Shah and Kiren Rijiju. He said they had assured that “honest, law-abiding citizens and institutions have absolutely nothing to worry about.”

Chandrasekhar also asked people to ignore what he described as “fear-mongering” and “fake narratives” by the Congress and CPM.