FCRA Bill: Akhilesh questions money outflow, alleges minority targeting

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav hit out at the Centre over the FCRA Bill, questioning the outflow of Indian money abroad. He alleged the BJP govt favours the wealthy and uses the law to harass minorities while ignoring the wealth leaving the country.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav (Photo/ANI)

Akhilesh Yadav Questions Money Outflow

Samajwadi Party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav on Monday targeted the Centre over the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, questioning the government over the flow of Indian money abroad and demanding transparency on the scale of funds leaving the country. Speaking to ANI, Yadav alleged that while restrictions are imposed on foreign funds entering India, there are no similar curbs on Indian wealth moving overseas. He also accused the BJP government of benefiting wealthy sections and claimed that laws like the FCRA were being used selectively to target minorities. "The government should first disclose how much of India's money flows abroad. There are restrictions on bringing foreign funds in, yet there are no curbs on how much Indian money goes out... Ever since the BJP came to power, the wealthy have seen 'good days'; it is the big players who are prospering. When will the government impose restrictions on that? If it fails to do so, it implies that the FCRA is merely a tool to harass minorities or to send a message that 'strict action' is being taken against terrorism and terror financing. Yet, the reality is the sheer volume of Indian money that has gone abroad," the SP Chief said.

About the FCRA Amendment Bill

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was reintroduced in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon Session. The Bill seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, with the stated objective of enhancing transparency and accountability in the regulation of foreign contributions. It 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. The FCRA framework governs the intake and utilisation of overseas funding across non-governmental organisations, charitable entities, academic institutions, religious trusts and affiliated bodies.

FCRA Registrations and Remittances

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. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)