FCRA Bill Sent for Detailed Review as Opposition Flags Impact on Minorities and NGOs

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 has become the latest flashpoint in Parliament, with the government sending the contentious legislation to a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed scrutiny amid fierce Opposition protests.

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday approved a motion moved by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai to refer the Bill to the JPC. The committee will comprise 21 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members, with the report to be submitted before the last day of the first week of the Winter Session of Parliament in 2026.

The move came amid demands from Opposition MPs for the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and calls for the withdrawal of the legislation.

Congress MP KC Venugopal accused the government of using the proposed law to target minorities and NGOs, saying the Opposition had only recently been informed about the decision to send the Bill to a joint committee.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju rejected the allegations and argued that the Opposition had itself been seeking a detailed committee examination of the legislation. He said concerns about the Bill could be raised before the JPC and insisted that it was not targeted at any minority community.

The exchange became sharper when Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the Opposition was united against the Bill and questioned the government's record on legislation affecting minorities.

Rijiju responded with a direct challenge, asking Yadav to identify even one provision in the proposed law that was specifically against minorities. He accused the Opposition of spreading misinformation and stressed that the country must have clear rules governing foreign contributions.

The Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, seeks to tighten government oversight of NGOs and organisations receiving foreign contributions. Among its key proposals is the creation of a designated authority to manage and dispose of assets if an organisation loses its FCRA licence.

The legislation has faced criticism from Opposition parties and some northeastern leaders, who have raised concerns about its possible impact on Christian organisations, minority-run institutions and civil society groups. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma have previously sought closer scrutiny of the proposed changes.

The government, however, maintains that the legislation is religion-neutral and intended to strengthen regulation and accountability surrounding foreign funding.

The FCRA controversy also unfolded alongside another politically charged development in the Lok Sabha, where the report of the inquiry committee into allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma was tabled amid continued uproar in the House.