Nagaland CM urges Shah to reconsider FCRA amendments, seeks parliamentary panel review

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to reconsider proposed amendments to the FCRA, saying the changes could burden churches and Christian charitable organisations and affect educational, healthcare and social welfare programmes in the state.

Rio proposed that the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act amendments be referred to a parliamentary committee for comprehensive examination, with stakeholders given an opportunity to present their views. Such a process, he said, would help address genuine concerns, remove apprehensions and build public confidence while protecting transparency, accountability and national interest.

The move would demonstrate the "inclusive and positive approach" of the NDA government and reaffirm India's commitment to constitutional values, secular ethos and respect for the rights and contributions of all communities, the chief minister said in the letter to Shah on Monday.

In June this year, the government notified amended FCRA rules for receiving foreign funds, requiring NGOs to choose from a predefined list of purposes and areas of operation. While allowing a range of faith-based activities, the rules explicitly excluded proselytisation from several categories eligible for registration under the FCRA. The FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 and is likely to be taken up during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament.

Rio said various sections of society, particularly the Christian community, had expressed concerns over the proposed amendments. He noted that the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) and the Bishop of Kohima had also submitted representations to the home minister, highlighting difficulties faced by churches and associated charitable organisations, and requested that these be considered with due sensitivity given Nagaland's unique social, historical and developmental circumstances.

The CM said he had held consultations with Christian leaders, including a discussion on August 9 with NBCC leadership and representatives of the Bishop of Kohima, who conveyed concerns over challenges faced in carrying out their activities and humanitarian services.

Pointing out that more than 90 per cent of Nagaland's population is Christian, Rio said churches have historically played a vital role in the state's spiritual and community life, as well as in education, healthcare, poverty alleviation, social welfare, livelihood support and assistance to disadvantaged sections. He said many such activities, particularly in remote and economically weaker areas, have been supported by legitimate foreign contributions and partnerships.

According to Rio, increasingly stringent FCRA compliance requirements have already imposed considerable financial and administrative burdens on churches and charitable organisations, and the proposed amendments could further compound these difficulties, particularly for smaller grassroots institutions serving remote communities.

The chief minister also raised concerns over reports that FCRA renewal applications of some Christian organisations had been declined on grounds relating to alleged utilisation of foreign contributions for religious conversion. Given Nagaland's demographic context, he said such cases deserved careful, sensitive and individual examination, so that legitimate charitable, educational, healthcare and social-welfare activities are not inadvertently affected.

Highlighting the humanitarian role of churches, Rio cited their relief work during floods, landslides and the COVID-19 pandemic, when Christian organisations mobilised resources, infrastructure and volunteers to support communities and government efforts.

He also underlined the more than 150-year history of Christianity in Nagaland, including the Baptist movement's longstanding links with the Baptist community in the United States, and noted that the Catholic Church and other denominations have maintained similar links with organisations in India and abroad. Christian missions and institutions, he said, have contributed to Nagaland's development for over a century, reaching remote communities with education, healthcare and humanitarian assistance when modern infrastructure was limited.

Rio said Christian institutions have contributed significantly to India's nation-building through schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, healthcare facilities and social-service organisations serving people irrespective of religion or social background.