US Congressman Riley Moore has raised concerns over the proposed FCRA amendments, alleging they could affect churches and religious charities.
He said the issue could become a point of discussion in India-US bilateral relations.
The Centre has said the FCRA applies equally to all organisations and is intended to strengthen transparency and accountability.
US Lawmaker Says India's FCRA Bill Targets Christians, Warns Of Bilateral Fallout
US Representative Riley Moore has alleged that the proposed FCRA amendments could affect churches and strain India-US ties, while the government maintains the law applies equally to all organisations
Summary
US Congressman Riley Moore, a Republican from West Virginia, said the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) could affect India-US bilateral relations.
In a post on X, Moore alleged the proposed changes were "a clear attack against Christians" and said they could become "a point of major concern" in bilateral ties if enacted in their current form.
What Did Riley Moore Say?
Moore said that if the amendment took place, it would be an attack against Christians.
“Christians have been in India since St. Thomas the Apostle traveled 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 said.
What Is The FCRA Bill?
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) governs the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contributions received from a "foreign source". These contributions may include articles, currency, foreign securities and specified income arising from such funds.
The law does not impose a blanket ban on foreign donations. Instead, it allows eligible organisations to receive foreign contributions after obtaining registration or prior permission, while requiring them to receive, utilise and report the funds in the prescribed manner. The FCRA is aimed at improving transparency and accountability in relation to foreign funding and foreign influence.
What Do Critics Say About The Amendment?
Critics, like TMC MP Derek O'Brien has called the FCRA bill "draconian". He said that the legislation risks weakening and destroying institutions that have served India's poorest and marginalised communities for decades in the education and health sectors.
However, the government clarified that the act applies uniformly to all organisations regardless of religion, community or ideology. It added that the amendment is in line with FCRA's longstanding principle that foreign contributions should not be used to alter India's social and demographic fabric through conversion-oriented activity.
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Government’s Position
The government believes that these laws are akin to those adopted by several other democracies. They demand accountability from influences like United States (FARA), Australia (FITS), the United Kingdom (FIRS) and Canada (FITAA).
In 2024-25, around 16,200 associations were actively registered under the FCRA and received approximately Rs 22,963 crore in foreign contributions, according to the government.
The Centre says the law functions as a regulatory framework for registration, disclosure and oversight of foreign funding rather than a blanket restriction on civil society organisations.
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