Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan addressed the Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) in New Delhi on Friday, clarifying that the recent amendments to the foreign donation bill are not aimed at any specific community. He emphasized that the legislation is a response to pressing concerns regarding internal security and national interest. The government’s proactive approach seeks to ensure that foreign contributions do not compromise the country’s safety and sovereignty.
Several MPs, including P Wilson of the DMK , Christopher Tilak and Anto Antony of the Congress, and Zia Ur Rehman of Samajwadi Party (SP), questioned whether the bill would adversely affect minority interests. Mohan clarified that the legislation was not aimed at any community but argued that the FCRA was essentially a national security law. As a result, most assets remain with associations while their bank funds are frozen.
The 31-member JPC, headed by BJP’s Sanjay Jaiswal, is reviewing the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill , 2026, which proposes a government-appointed authority to manage and dispose of assets of organisations who cease to have registration to receive donations from abroad. As MPs asked questions on the proposed designated authority and lack of clarity on the prospective effect of the bill, Mohan pointed out in his presentation that the 2010 amendment had brought in stringent provisions such as renewal of FCRA license every five years and the government’s power to suspend the license.
Mohan told the panel that some provisions of the existing law could not be implemented. In his presentation, he said the framework for vesting of assets resulted in “the prescribed authority (states) unable to implement provisions” and that there were “no clear rules for managing or disposing vested assets.
Jaiswal questions NGO opposition to major infrastructure projects
The meeting also saw discussion on foreign-funded NGOs and their activities. Did Gujarat and Tamil Nadu benefit from the two respective projects or not.
Jaiswal said, “We have seen how NGOs opposed the Sardar Sarovar dam in Gujarat and Kudankulam nuclear power station. Jaiswal told HT that the panel would meet several chief ministers, including all Christian chief ministers and those from other parties. “We will have a wide-ranging debate,” he said.
