Meghalaya Congress protests proposed FCRA amendments, warns of church and NGO property risks
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Vincent H Pala says proposed FCRA amendments could allow attachment of properties of churches, NGOs, schools andh
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Vincent H Pala on Monday warned that proposed amendments to India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) could put properties linked to churches, NGOs, schools and hospitals at risk. He made the remarks while speaking at a protest held against the proposed changes.
Congress alleges a wider power than regulation
Pala described the bill as one of the most dangerous proposals in independent India. He said the Congress was not against regulation of foreign contributions, but argued that the draft provisions go beyond oversight. According to him, the amendments could allow authorities to attach property tied to organisations whose FCRA registrations are cancelled, not renewed, or surrendered.
Pala said Clause 16A is the key area of concern. He alleged that this clause could empower authorities to take over an organisation’s property if its FCRA registration status changes. He framed his argument around how institutions operate and receive foreign support in different ways.
Concerns raised for institutions across Meghalaya
He pointed to the potential effect on church-run and NGO-run facilities in Meghalaya. Pala cited an example involving a church building and said that even if only a small part of its funding came under FCRA-related routes, the property could still be impacted under the proposed wording. He also said similar risks could apply to schools and hospitals.
Pala referenced named educational institutions such as St Anthony’s, St Edmund’s, Loreto and Nazareth, and highlighted healthcare institutions run by churches and NGOs, including Roberts Hospital. He argued that many of these bodies are known locally and that the consequences of an adverse FCRA decision would not remain limited to funding.
During the protest, Pala also mentioned FCRA registration numbers, saying registrations have declined in the country and that there are relatively fewer active registrations in the Northeast and Meghalaya. He said the Congress does not have an FCRA registration of its own, and said the party was opposing the amendments for the benefit of institutions and people he believes could be affected, especially minority organisations.
