Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: The National People’s Party is fighting back. Critics claim the party stayed quiet on the controversial Foreign Contribution Regulation Act Amendment Bill, 2026. NPP leaders insist they are working hard. The party fired back on July 29, calling reports of their silence misleading and fueled by political rivals.
The stakes are high. The bill threatens assets held by missionary-run institutions. These schools and hospitals act as Meghalaya’s primary safety net. The Voice of the People Party wants the bill sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. They argue the transfer of assets would wreck the autonomy of groups that have served the state for decades.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is walking a tightrope. He needs to satisfy his NDA partners in New Delhi while keeping the trust of Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo voters. While the Mizo National Front outright rejected the bill, the NPP claims it chose constructive engagement instead of rhetoric. Conrad K. Sangma led a delegation in July 2026 to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah. They raised specific alarms over Section 16A(5).
The group included the Presbyterian Church of India, the North East India Christian Council, the Catholic Archdiocese of Shillong, and the Garo Baptist Convention. The NPP stated, "Amit Shah assured the delegation that extensive stakeholder consultations would be held before any decision."
This follows an April 2026 meeting. Conrad Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong sat down with Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. They met with the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India to demand protections for charities working in remote tribal areas. For now, the NPP insists it remains committed to the welfare of the state, despite the political pressure mounting from both sides.
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