T.N CM Stalin terms FCRA Amendment Bill ‘draconian’

T.N. CM Stalin criticizes the FCRA Amendment Bill, calling it draconian for threatening charitable organizations and minority rights.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday (April 3, 2026) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing deep anguish and concern over the Union government’s introduction of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) (FCRA) Amendment Bill, 2026, in Parliament. Mr. Stalin contended that neither the Union government nor States possessed the capacity to replace the educational, medical, and charitable services rendered by non-profit organisations.

Terming it a “draconian Bill,” Mr. Stalin pointed out that it sought to dismantle India’s charitable organisations by enabling the Union government, at its discretion, to cancel the FCRA registration of an organisation and take over its assets — whether it is a church, school, or hospital — “without any due process.”

He said the Bill, therefore, was “ex-facie contrary” to Articles 25, 29, 30, and 300-A of the Constitution of India and is nothing but a “legalised assault on minority-run institutions.”

“You have attended several events organised by Christian groups, where you have personally praised the charitable work done by them in India for providing education and healthcare to some of the most marginalised sections of society, including Dalits, tribals, and the rural poor,” Mr. Stalin said.

The Bill intended to “completely cut off funding” to such charitable activities and poses an existential threat to charitable organisations reliant on foreign funds. The expansion of liability to “key functionaries,” coupled with an implicit presumption of guilt, will deter honest individuals who want to contribute to charitable work in India, Mr. Stalin underlined.

“Consequently, the immediate victims will not be just the organisations themselves, but the millions of vulnerable citizens who depend on these institutions for education and healthcare. Neither the Union government nor States possess the capacity to replace these educational, medical, and charitable services rendered by these organisations and the result will be a collapse of grassroots welfare infrastructure across the country,” he said.