A delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), led by its president Cardinal Poola Anthony, met Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on July 10 to raise matters concerning the Christian community and submit a memorandum against the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026.
The delegation, which comprised CBCI secretary general Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, deputy secretary general Rev. Dr Mathew Koyickal and others, also brought up the ethnic violence in Manipur and appealed to Shah to ensure peace in the state as well as the constitutional status of certain communities whose people convert to Christianity.
Regarding the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, the delegation stated that the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, or FCRA, were against the welfare of the poor. The memorandum argued that provisions in the bill would adversely impact organisations working for the welfare of vast sections of society.
The CBCI requested that a new bill be drawn and it come into effect prospectively. The designated officer for adjudication under the new law should be a judicial officer so as to ensure independence and impartiality. Disposal of assets, transfer or vesting should be done only after all appeals are exhausted. A differentiation should be made between minor and major lapses, and the former should not be reason for harsh action.
The CBCI has demanded that the term ‘proselytisation’ be removed from the bill since it is bound to be misused. “All such compassionate and charitable activities are directed only towards nation-building and public welfare, and should not be misinterpreted as acts of religious conversion,” said the CBCI. Retrospective and open-ended provisions risked deterring legitimate foreign funding for philanthroe cost of which would be borne by the marginalised as well, it stated.
The CBCI also raised the matter of attacks on and booking of Christians in various states under ‘anti conversion’ laws. It demanded that the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, under which members from Scheduled Caste communities who convert to Christianity lose their Scheduled Caste status, has been challenged in the Supreme Court since 2004. The government, it said, should ensure that appropriate steps are taken to ensure expeditious hearing and adjudication on the matter.
The CBCI urged Shah to intervene to ensure lasting peace in Manipur, saying the violence had rendered scores of people homeless, and many had been forced to leave their land and even migrate to other states, including Delhi. “Finally, we firmly resolve and pledge to stand by the government of India in all its efforts towards nation-building within the framework of the Constitution of India,” the memorandum stated.
Subscribe to India Today Magazine
– Ends
