Mizoram chief minister Lalduhoma met Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday to discuss the concerns of church representatives about the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, saying later that he was assured that the legislation will not apply retrospectively.
Lalduhoma – who was accompanied by a delegation of senior Christian leaders, including representatives from the Council of Churches in Mizoram (CCM) and the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), who submitted a memorandum to Shah – also said the bill was likely to be taken up on August 12.
“We raised six issues with him. Out of those, we were assured that this bill will not have retrospective effect. As for the remaining points we raised, he said he would respond to them in writing and send us his comments. We will have a clear picture only after we receive that reply…,” Lalduhoma said after the meeting.
Shah also met Christian leaders who expressed their concerns over the law. Earlier, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India had expressed their concerns over the provisions in the new foreign funding law and rules. CBCI had said that provisions “could affect charitable institutions that have served poor and vulnerable communities for decades”. It also sought safeguards to ensure that existing rights, legally acquired assets and ongoing charitable activities are protected, and called for independent judicial oversight in FCRA-related cases.
Church representatives and NGOs have expressed concern over the provision that allows the government to take control of their permanent assets, such as schools, hospitals, and land that has been purchased with foreign donations—if their FCRA licence lapsed.
{{/usCountry}}Church representatives and NGOs have expressed concern over the provision that allows the government to take control of their permanent assets, such as schools, hospitals, and land that has been purchased with foreign donations—if their FCRA licence lapsed.
{{/usCountry}}Under the new law, if an organisation doesn’t renew its FCRA licence or it is cancelled, and they continue to use a premises (made out of foreign funds), then it can be vested with the designated authority. The worry among NGOs is that the assets created for social work by them over the years, if their licence is not renewed, may be taken away by the government.
Though the government has clarified that the Designated Authority manages only assets created from foreign contributions, and only once an organisation’s registration has lawfully ceased. Vesting is initially provisional, with full restoration if registration is renewed, and places of worship retain their religious character by law in all cases. The orders of the Authority are subject to revision and to appeal before the Court of the District Judge, the government has said.
In the memorandum to Shah, the Mizoram delegation said the reference to “proselytisation” in fiscal regulations, without a clear and precise definition, created uncertainty for organisations engaged in legitimate social, educational, and faith-based work.
“We respectfully submit that foreign contribution laws should remain focused on fiscal transparency and national security, and therefore recommend that the term be omitted. Its presence in financial regulations risks unintended misinterpretation and could inadvertently cast doubt on lawful welfare activities carried out by voluntary organisations,” it said.
The letter also said that the law must explicitly safeguard voluntary religious activities, moral education, and humanitarian work, all of which are protected under the Constitution.
“The Government of Mizoram, together with the church leadership and civil institutions of the State, remains fully committed to upholding the sovereignty, integrity. and constitutional values of India. At the same time, we urge the law to Incorporate these clarifications and safeguards into the FCA framework. Doing so will ensure that the law remains fair, proportionate and consistent with the constitutional principles, but it’s still achieving the legitimate aim of regulating foreign contribution,” the memorandum said.
The group asked for the law to draw a clear distinction between serious violations and minor administrative lapses, proven anti-national activities or wilful financial fraud. It said while serious offences should rightly attract stringent measures, minor clerical errors, delayed submissions or technical difficulties should be addressed through corrective processes rather than punitive asset seizures.
On July 5, Meghlaya CM Conrad Sangma had also met Shah, asking to withdraw the bill as it may have a negative impact on Christian institutions.
Mizoram is 87% Christian and Meghalaya is 74% Christian. The monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled to close on August 13.
The government has tried to allay fears earlier by issuing an official statement on July 22, which stated that “Vesting is initially provisional, with full restoration if registration is renewed, and places of worship retain their religious character by law in all cases”.
“The orders of the authority are subject to revision and to appeal before the court of the district judge,” a PIB statement said on July 22.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha in the previous session but was not brought for passing after protests by the Opposition and controversy in then poll-bound Kerala. The bill had evoked sharp reactions from Opposition leaders, particularly Kerala lawmakers, as Christian groups alleged they might be targeted under the new law.
The bill provides for the cessation of the FCRA certificate of an organisation upon expiry, non-renewal or refusal of renewal by the government. The amendments also establish a designated authority for “a comprehensive framework for vesting, supervision, management and disposal of foreign contribution and assets, including provisional and permanent vesting.” A provision stated that the government can appoint a “designated authority” to take over, manage, or sell assets created from foreign funds by an non-governmental organisation whose licence under FCRA was cancelled, suspended, or simply not renewed.