Shillong: The Meghalaya government is sending a team to New Delhi to lobby Union Home Minister Amit Shah for changes to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. Christian leaders in the state fear a specific provision will allow the federal government to seize church assets if their registration status lapses. The delegation plans to meet Shah during the first week of July to address these concerns.
At the center of the dispute is Section 16A, Clause 5. This rule gives authorities the power to take over the property of any organization that fails to renew its FCRA permit. Church groups argue this measure puts their schools, hospitals, and social work centers at risk of closure. They see the move as a crackdown on minority religious institutions.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma raised the issue with Shah during a recent visit to Shillong. The Home Minister asked the state to identify the most problematic clauses for review. Sangma noted that the government is working with church leaders to find a way forward. He stated, “The objective is not to dilute the FCRA but to ensure that its implementation does not adversely affect religious institutions.”
This tension reflects a national debate over the use of federal regulations to monitor and restrict non-profit organizations. In Meghalaya, the threat of property seizure has sparked significant local anger. Officials now wait to see if the central government will soften the rules.
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