Christian bishops met DMK chief MK Stalin to thank him for opposing the FCRA Amendment Bill. Stalin said the DMK has been actively campaigning against the bill and had earlier urged the Union Government to withdraw the proposed legislation.
Several Christian bishops and representatives of minority organisations met DMK President MK Stalin at his residence in Teynampet, Chennai, on Saturday and discussed the proposed Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill.
Following the meeting, Stalin said the Christian dignitaries expressed their appreciation for the DMK's efforts in opposing the proposed legislation.
Several Christian dignitaries called on me at my residence today and expressed their appreciation for the efforts being undertaken by the DMK in opposing the #FCRA Amendment Bill. கிறித்துவ சமயப் பெரியோர்கள் பலர் இன்று எனது இல்லத்தில் என்னைச் சந்தித்து, #FCRA திருத்த மசோதாவை… https://t.co/gD4jH2Ejgo pic.twitter.com/2PToLyma02 — M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) August 8, 2026
In a post on X, Stalin said, "Several Christian dignitaries called on me at my residence today and expressed their appreciation for the efforts being undertaken by the DMK in opposing the #FCRA Amendment Bill."
DMK Urges Centre to Withdraw Bill
Earlier in the day, DMK president MK Stalin on Saturday urged the Union Government to withdraw the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 and repeal Section 15 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.
In a post on X, Stalin said a delegation of the Joint Action Forum on Minorities, led by DMK Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson and comprising religious leaders from various denominations, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on August 6 and pressed for withdrawal of the Bill.
"The delegation of the Joint Action Forum on Minorities, led by our MP Thiru. @PWilsonDMKBPCL MAK lubricantsBPCL MAK lubricants<>and including top religious leaders from various denominations in India, met the Hon'ble Home Minister on 6.8.2026. They urged the Hon'ble Minister to withdraw the #FCRA Amendment Bill 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha in March 2026, and to repeal Section 15 of FCRA or refer the Bill, along with a comprehensive review of the workings of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, to a Joint Parliamentary Committee," he said.
Understanding the FCRA Amendment Bill
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, seeks to establish a Designated Authority tasked with overseeing foreign contributions and assets acquired through such capital in instances where an entity's FCRA registration stands cancelled, surrendered or lapsed.
The proposed legislation explicitly mandates that if such assets comprise a place of worship, the Designated Authority is required to maintain its religious character intact. Furthermore, it seeks to scale down the maximum penalty for statutory violations from five years' imprisonment to one year.
FCRA Statistics
The FCRA framework governs the intake and utilisation of overseas funding across non-governmental organisations, charitable entities, academic institutions, religious trusts and affiliated bodies.
Ministry of Home Affairs figures indicate that 13,520 entities received foreign remittances totalling Rs 55,741 crore between 2019 and 2022.
Official records as of July 15, 2026, reveal that 14,449 active FCRA registrations were operational in the country, whereas 22,498 registrations stood cancelled and 15,212 had expired.
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