Shillong: The Union government will introduce the Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Bill, 2026, during the monsoon session starting July 20. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai first brought the bill to the Lok Sabha on March 25. Intense protests forced a delay in April. The draft law empowers a designated authority to seize foreign-funded assets if an organization loses its registration. Government agencies could take over or sell schools and hospitals built with foreign money.
Meghalaya faces a major fallout. Christians make up 75 percent of the state. Church-run groups provide most services in remote areas. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma led a delegation including the Catholic Archdiocese of Shillong, the Presbyterian Church of India, the North East India Christian Council, and the Garo Baptist Convention to meet Home Minister Amit Shah on July 5. Sangma warned against breaking these vital social services. "Any changes to the law should not disrupt the functioning of genuine institutions engaged in public service," he stated.
Shah promised another stakeholder consultation and insisted the law will not work retroactively. The Khasi Jaintia Christian Leaders Forum remains unconvinced. Secretary Rev. Edwin H. Kharkongor asked the Meghalaya Assembly to pass a formal resolution against the bill, mirroring a July 1 move by the Kerala Assembly. Local Congress and Voice of the People Party members joined the outcry. Senior BJP MLA Alexander Laloo Hek also requested more talks to protect non-profits.
The central government claims the changes fix legal holes. They argue the bill protects the national interest by blocking fund misuse. Opponents view it as a power grab. The coming weeks will show if the Centre adjusts the bill or forces it through despite regional friction.
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