Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has issued a strong condemnation of the FCRA Bill — calling it a “direct attack” against minority institutions. He demanded a full withdrawal of the “unjust and arbitrary” law and sought immediate action from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha last week and triggered immediate backlash from the Opposition benches. The debate also comes amid last-minute campaigning for Assembly elections in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
“After attempts to take over Waqf properties, the Union BJP Government is now moving to choke foreign funding for other minority institutions. Despite stepping back for now due to Opposition protests and the upcoming elections in Kerala, where Christians live in large numbers, there are clear plans to push FCRA through in a special session of Parliament,” Stalin wrote on X.
According to details outlined in the proposed bill, there are approximately 16,000 associations registered under the FCRA which receive around Rs 22,000 crore annually.
FCRA amendment bill before Parliament
The newly proposed Bill seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act of 2010 — with the stated objective of enhancing transparency and accountability of foreign contributions in India. Opposition parties have alleged that the changes would centralise government control over NGOs and target minority communities. Debate in the Lok Sabha was deferred amid a political slugfest on Wednesday and it appears unlikely to pass during the ongoing Budget Session.
Opposition members — mainly from poll-bound Kerala — had raised raising slogans against the provisions of the bill in Parliament. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also accused the Centre of “ignoring” the concerns of minority communities over the FCRA amendment and alleged that the move was driven by “political motives”.
Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, the Budget Session is likely to end on Thursday. There are indications that two or three more sittings could be held later this month.
Strategy ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections?
DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin framed the upcoming polls as a “Tamil Nadu versus Delhi battle” on Monday as campaigning entered its final days in the state. CM Stalin also claimed a day later that the BJP-led NDA would rename the state as “Dakshin Pradesh” without hesitation if elected to power.
His comments against the FRCA Bill — coming about three weeks before the election — also serve to underscore these allegations. It is pertinent to note here that Tamil Nadu has a significant Christian and Muslim population that traditionally aligns with the DMK-led alliance.