Christian leaders, minority groups express concern over FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026

Christian leaders and minority representatives in Hyderabad expressed concern over the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026, alleging constitutional issues and lack of judicial oversight. They urged the Telangana government to reject the proposed changes and protect minority institutions.

Hyderabad: About 40 major Christian leaders, and SC/ST/OBC and minorities who gathered to celebrate the 135th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, expressed concern at the BJP-led Central Government introducing in the Lok Sabha the highly controversial Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which has now been deferred.

In a statement they said the Bill is constitutionally flawed and seeks to empower an extra-constitutional ‘designated authority’ — lacking judicial accountability — with sweeping powers to grant, reject, or cancel FCRA licences and to take over Christian (and other minority) institutions whose licences have not been renewed.

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Thousands of Christian groups across denominations have been denied renewal since 2016 without any judicial process, with the Ministry of Home Affairs functioning in an opaque manner.

The statement said the Christian community across India, and especially in Telangana, condemned these FCRA amendments.

They called upon the Telangana Government and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to reject these nefarious amendments and stand in defence of constitutional values, minority rights, and the service-oriented institutions that have served the poorest of the poor for generations.