- 14 November, 2026
NEW DELHI, November 14, 2026 : DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson has urged the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to conduct public hearings in Goa and Bengaluru, enabling Christian institutions, minority communities and other stakeholders to present their concerns over the proposed legislation.
In a letter addressed to JPC chairperson Sanjay Jaiswal, Wilson argued that many organisations likely to be affected by the Bill lacked the financial resources and practical opportunity to travel to New Delhi to participate in the committee's proceedings.
The demand was also raised during the committee's fourth sitting at Parliament House on Thursday, where representatives of Christian organisations, lawyers, RSS-linked organisations and non-governmental organisations participated in discussions.
Demand for wider regional consultations
The 31-member parliamentary committee had previously travelled to Shillong, Kochi and Chennai on 2, 3 and 4 November to consult stakeholders.
Wilson called for similar consultations in Goa, Bengaluru and Mumbai, arguing that regional hearings would allow institutions and communities directly affected by the proposed amendments to express their views.
His letter was supported by Congress MPs Captain Viriato Fernandes, Christopher Manickam and Hamdullah Sayeed, along with Samajwadi Party MPs Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and Javed Ali Khan.
Highlighting Goa's Christian population, which accounts for 25.10 per cent of the state's population, Wilson said the region had a longstanding network of churches, schools, colleges, hospitals and charitable institutions that deserved to be heard.
He also recommended that the Goa hearing accommodate representatives from Mumbai and the Konkan region.
Karnataka and Maharashtra among major FCRA states
Wilson cited figures provided by the Union Home Ministry to the committee, stating that Maharashtra had 1,578 active Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA)-registered associations, while Karnataka had 1,355. The two states ranked second and third nationally after Tamil Nadu.
He described Bengaluru as an important centre for national-level Christian organisations, educational institutions and civil society groups, making it an appropriate venue for consultations involving stakeholders from across Karnataka.
Concerns over religious and charitable properties
A major concern raised in Wilson's letter relates to provisions in the proposed Bill that would empower a designated authority to take control of, manage and dispose of assets created using foreign contributions following the cancellation, surrender or cessation of an organisation's FCRA registration.
Wilson argued that these provisions went beyond regulating foreign funding, potentially affecting properties held by religious denominations and minority educational and charitable institutions for generations.
He said the proposals raised constitutional concerns involving Articles 25, 26, 29 and 30, which protect religious freedom, the rights of religious denominations and the cultural and educational rights of minorities.
Call for transparent consultation
Recalling his earlier letter of 18 September, Wilson emphasised that individual parishes, schools, colleges, hospitals, orphanages and welfare homes should also have an opportunity to present their concerns.
He requested advance public notices in English and regional-language newspapers, inviting written submissions and requests to appear before the committee.
Wilson maintained that communities directly affected by the proposed legislation deserved to be heard in their own regions before the committee finalised its recommendations.
Courtesy : New Indian Express
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