NEW DELHI, Aug 12: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday approved a motion to refer the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed examination, amid strong protests by Opposition parties and demands for withdrawal of the proposed legislation.
The motion was moved by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai during noisy proceedings, as Opposition MPs raised slogans and demanded the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the House.
The proposed JPC will comprise 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 members from the Rajya Sabha. Lok Sabha members will be nominated by Speaker Om Birla, while Rajya Sabha members will be nominated by Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan.
The committee has been asked to submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the Winter Session of Parliament in 2026.
Opposition Alleges Bill Targets Minorities and NGOs
Congress MP K. C. Venugopal objected to the manner in which the Opposition was informed about the proposed referral of the Bill to the JPC. He alleged that the legislation could adversely affect minorities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and demanded that the Bill be withdrawn.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju rejected the allegations and said the Government had agreed to refer the legislation to a parliamentary committee precisely to enable a detailed examination of its provisions.
Rijiju said Opposition parties would have an opportunity to place their concerns before the JPC and participate in a clause-by-clause examination of the proposed legislation. He maintained that the Bill was not directed against any minority community.
Rijiju Challenges Opposition to Identify Provision Targeting Minorities
During the debate, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the Opposition was united in its opposition to the FCRA Bill and questioned the absence of the Home Minister from the proceedings.
Yadav also questioned the Government’s assertion that the legislation was not aimed at minorities.
Responding to the allegations, Rijiju challenged Opposition parties to identify any specific provision in the Bill that discriminates against minorities.
He said the Government was making its position responsibly and asked the Opposition to substantiate its allegations by pointing to a particular provision of the proposed legislation.
DMK MP T. R. Baalu also demanded withdrawal of the Bill.
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the proceedings, said the Government had accepted the demand for committee scrutiny and that the proposed JPC would undertake a detailed, clause-by-clause examination of the legislation.
Bill Seeks Greater Oversight of Foreign Contributions
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, seeks to strengthen government oversight of organisations receiving foreign contributions.
Among its key proposals is the creation of a designated authority to manage and dispose of assets in cases where an organisation loses its FCRA licence.
The Opposition has raised concerns that certain provisions could affect legitimate foreign funding received by Christian NGOs, minority-run educational institutions and social welfare organisations.
The Government, however, has maintained that the proposed amendments are not religion-specific and are intended to strengthen regulation, accountability and oversight of foreign contributions.
Northeastern Chief Ministers Had Sought Detailed Examination
The proposed legislation had earlier drawn concerns from several northeastern States.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma had urged the Centre to refer the Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for detailed scrutiny. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma had also raised concerns over certain provisions with the Central Government.
The proposed amendments have also attracted criticism from some US lawmakers over their potential impact on Christian organisations and civil society groups.
The Indian Government has rejected such criticism, maintaining that amendments to India’s domestic legislation are a matter for the country’s own legislative process.
Justice Yashwant Varma Inquiry Report Tabled
During Wednesday’s proceedings, an inquiry committee report concerning allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma was also laid before the Lok Sabha.
Removal proceedings had been initiated against Justice Varma following allegations concerning the discovery of unaccounted cash at his official residence.
Meanwhile, amid continued disruption in the House, NDA MPs, including BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, raised slogans concerning allegations of an exchange of cash for question papers amid controversy surrounding alleged examination irregularities in Jharkhand.
The referral of the FCRA Amendment Bill to the 31-member JPC is expected to provide Parliament with an opportunity for a more detailed examination of the proposed changes before the legislation proceeds further in the legislative process.(KNC)
