New Delhi, April 1: The proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) have sparked intense political reactions. The opposition has vowed to block the bill, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has indicated a willingness to reconsider it amid rising concerns.
Prominent church leaders in Kerala have strongly opposed the government’s move. K.C. Venugopal, General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Lok Sabha MP, stated that the opposition is prepared to pay any price to prevent the passage of this law. He accused the central government of introducing the bill under a “hidden agenda” during assembly elections in key states.
Venugopal also noted that many opposition MPs are busy campaigning in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Assam, arguing that Parliament sessions should not coincide with elections. Despite this, the bill was rushed through in the final days without proper scrutiny.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, President of the Kerala BJP, adopted a conciliatory tone, assuring that the current form of the bill would not be passed until concerns are addressed. He promised that discussions would take place before the law is presented in the Lok Sabha.
Earlier on Tuesday, several Congress MPs campaigning in Kerala were called back to the House immediately. However, the bill did not appear in Parliament on Wednesday. Venugopal argued that these changes could hinder the operations of charitable and humanitarian organizations, particularly those linked to minority communities. He emphasized that many institutions rely on foreign donations to run hospitals and educational facilities for the underprivileged.
Drawing a comparison to the Waqf Amendment Bill, Venugopal warned that measures targeting one community could later be applied to others.
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SD/ABM
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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