VHP hits at US Congressman over FCRA amendment claims

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Wednesday asked US Congressman Riley Moore to stop “rumour mongering” over his criticism of the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The VHP accused him of defending organisations that allegedly misuse foreign funds and asked him to stop meddling in the country’s internal matters.

The remarks came after Moore on Tuesday claimed that the proposed amendments to the FCRA would permit the Indian Government to take over churches and religious charities and would amount to a clear attack on Christians.

In a post on social media, VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal questioned Moore’s claims and asked him to specify which provisions of the proposed law supported his allegations. “Please inform which provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) rules permit Government takeover of churches and religious charities in India, amount to an attack against Christians, or may become a major concern in the bilateral relationship with India,” Bansal said.

He alleged that the amendments would instead stop those “who receive foreign funds in the name of charity but use them for illegal religious conversion, anti-Bharat, deep state and political activities to destabilise our country.” “One can understand your concern. Kindly stop rumour mongering,” Bansal said.

Tagging the Ministry of External Affairs, the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in his post, Bansal urged them “to keep a watch on such liars and fake propagandists”.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 seeks to empower the Government to create a “Designated Authority” to take over the management of foreign contributions and assets created using foreign contributions when an organisation’s FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or ceases because it is not renewed. The bill also states that in case of assets that are a place of worship, the Designated Authority must ensure that its religious character is maintained.

The US lawmaker has voiced concern over the amendments proposed by India to its laws governing foreign donations received by NGOs, trusts, educational institutions and religious organisations, and said the move could affect bilateral relations. “Christians have been in India since St Thomas the Apostle travelled to the Malabar Coast just decades after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. But despite this long Christian history, India’s Parliament is considering amending Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) rules to permit Government takeovers of churches and religious charities,” Moore, a Republican from West Virginia, said in a post on social media.