Govt refers FCRA Amendment Bill to JPC as Parliament deadlock continues; Oppn says, ‘scrap the bill’

The Narendra Modi-led Union Government on Wednesday moved a motion in Lok Sabha to refer the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

A resolution to this effect was moved by Nityanand Rai, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and later passed by the House. The resolution was earlier listed against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, according to the Supplementary List of Business of Lok Sabha.

“That the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, be referred to a Joint Committee of the Houses consisting of 21 Members of this House to be nominated by the Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, and 10 Members of Rajya Sabha to be nominated by Hon'ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha," the List of Business read.

As soon as MoS Rai moved the resolution, Opposition leaders KC Venugopal of the Congress and Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party (SP) claimed that the Bill was against minorities. Responding to the claim, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju challenged Yadav to prove any ‘anti-minority’ provision in the proposed bill.

The motion was eventually passed with a voice vote. Amid the uproar, BJP leader Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the proceedings, adjourned the House till 3 PM.

Parliament has witnessed uproar through almost the entire session, with the Opposition demanding a reply from Home Minister Amit Shah over alleged police atrocities during the July 20 students’ protest and the Ram Mandir donation theft row.

The Monsoon Session ends on 13 August.

The FCRA regulates the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contributions by individuals, associations and organisations in the country and seeks to ensure that such contributions are used for the purposes for which they are received.

“That in order to constitute a sitting of the Joint Committee, the quorum shall be, as near as may be, one-third of the total number of Members of the Joint Committee; that the Committee shall make a report to this House by the last day of the first week of the Winter Session 2026; that in other respect, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of this House relating to Parliamentary Committees shall apply with such variations and modifications as the Speaker may make; and that this House recommends to Rajya Sabha that Rajya Sabha do join the said Joint Committee and communicate to this House names of the Members to be appointed by Rajya Sabha to the Joint Committee,” the list of business read.

The FCRA Bill

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 25 March and is currently under consideration of Parliament. The revised FCRA Rules, 2026, were notified on 22 June and are in force.

Earlier, both houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, were adjourned till 2 PM. The uproar resumed as the house resumed at 2 PM. The proceedings were presided over by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal.

FCRA Bill aimed at suppressing minorities: Yadav

Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday alleged that the proposed FCRA Bill was aimed at suppressing minorities and accused the government of pursuing policies in its own interest.

“They want to bring the FCRA Bill to suppress the minorities. They want to bring it only to serve their own interests,” Yadav said.

The Samajwadi Party leader's remarks came amid a political debate over the proposed legislation and its implications for organisations receiving foreign contributions. He alleged that the government's approach towards the legislation was motivated by its own interests rather than wider public concerns.

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav also opposed the Bill, saying it should not have been introduced, arguing that NGOs have played a major role in providing education and other services in tribal and economically disadvantaged areas.

Speaking to ANI, Yadav said that the voluntary organisations and missionaries had carried out extensive work in areas such as Jharkhand and the Dang region of Gujarat.

“This bill should never have been brought. The amount of work done by NGOs in Jharkhand, Gujarat's Dang area, and other tribal areas in the country has not been done by many governments till now,” Yadav said.

He said that restrictions affecting such organisations can affect poor people and children who depend on them for education and other services.

"Stopping this means that millions of poor people and children will be deprived of education and various other facilities," the SP MP said.

The remarks come amid discussions in Parliament over the FCRA amendments, while the Opposition has raised concerns over the implications of changes governing foreign contributions to organisations operating in India.

(With ANI inputs)