Riley Moore

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre is expected to introduce the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing monsoon session of the Parliament. The proposed amendments of the FCRA have sparked concern among some US lawmakers, including a Republican Congressman.

US Congressman Riley Moore on Tuesday termed the proposed amendments to the FCRA an attack on Christianity. He even linked the passing of the bill to the Indo-US ties. Moore, a Republican Congressman from West Virginia, made the comments on Tuesday in a post on X.

Highlighting Christianity's centuries-old presence in India, Moore said the faith traces its roots in the country to St. Thomas the Apostle's arrival on the Malabar Coast. He, however, alleged that despite this historical legacy, Parliament is now considering amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).

Three Concerns Raised By The Republican Senator:

Government's "Takeover" of Churches and Religious Charities

Moore's main concern revolves around the proposed creation of a "Designated Authority" to manage foreign contributions and assets of organisations whose FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered, or not renewed.

"India’s Parliament is considering amending Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) rules to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities," the US Senator stated.

"Clear Attack Against Christians":

The US lawmaker also alleged that the proposed amendments specifically threaten the Christian community in India. "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," Moore wrote in his X . He added that despite this historical presence, the proposed changes amount to "a clear attack against Christians."

Warns Of Adverse Effect On India-US Relations:

Moore further warned that if the bill is passed, then it would have diplomatic implications for the India-US relations. "If this bill proceeds in this way, it would be a point of major concern in our bilateral relationship with India," he said, indicating that the issue could draw greater scrutiny from US lawmakers if enacted.

Modi Government's Outreach To Christian Community Leaders:

The Narendra Modi government is leaving no stone unturned to remove all apprehensions of the Christian community over the FCRA bill. union ministers, Including Amit Shah and Kiren Rijiju, held meetings with several church authorities in this regard.

In July this year, Shah assured the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) that FCRA would not have any effect on Christians living in India. During the meeting The country's top Catholic clergy shared the Christian community's concerns about the FCRA

Meanwhile, in April this year, Rijiju also met Christian leaders from different denominations in Kerala's Thiruvananthapura and promised to address their concerns over the proposed bill.

Notably, even PM Modi accused the Opposition of spreading misinformation regarding the FCRA. Speaking at a rally in Thiruvalla, Kerala, ahead of assembly polls in April this year, he talked about the FCRA bill. He accused the Opposition of "spreading lies" regarding the proposed bill.

What Does FCRA Mean?

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, governs foreign donations received by non-governmental organisations, trusts, societies, educational institutions and religious organisations in India.

Any organisation wishing to receive funds from foreign sources must obtain FCRA registration from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The registration must be renewed every five years, after which organisations that fail to renew are no longer permitted to receive foreign contributions.

Proposed Changes:

One of the main proposals is the creation of a "Designated Authority" appointed by the central government. Under the draft legislation, the authority would be empowered to take over the management of foreign contributions and assets created using foreign funds if an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or allowed to lapse because it is not renewed.

The bill also proposes a minimum utilisation threshold for renewal. Organisations that have received or spent less than Rs 10 lakh in foreign funds over the preceding two financial years may no longer qualify for renewal of their registration.

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