SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
New Delhi: Asserting that issues related to India’s legislation are an internal matter and not subject to external scrutiny, the Ministry of External Affairs, on Friday, August 7, firmly rejected a US lawmaker’s comments on the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).
The reaction comes in the wake of US Congressman Riley Moore’s outburst that amendments to the FCRA would permit the Indian government to take over churches and religious charities and would amount to a “clear attack against Christians“.
Stating that they have seen the comments on the Act, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Legislative matters concerning India are our internal affairs on which decisions are taken by Parliament of the country.”
“I would also like to point out that there are several nations, including the US, which regulate the flow of foreign funds,” he added.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in Parliament in March to propose rebuilding the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) framework. It authorises the government to appoint a “designated authority” to manage, take over or sell assets procured from foreign funds by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) whose registration with the FCRA has been revoked, not renewed, or suspended. The amendment also extends action against directors, trustees and those linked to the organisations.
What Riley Moore said
On Tuesday, August 4, Moore, a West Virginia Republican, wrote on X, “Christians have been in India since St Thomas the Apostle travelled to the Malabar Coast just decades after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. But despite this long Christian history, India’s Parliament is considering amending Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) rules to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities.”
He claimed that if approved, it would pose a major issue in India-US relations. “This is a clear attack against Christians. If this bill proceeds in this way, it would be a point of major concern in our bilateral relationship with India.”
The amendment bill has seen a sharp political divide, with the massive Opposition pushing back on the bill, claiming it will curb minority rights, and the governing party defending the move as necessary for national security.
SOURCE : SIASAT
