The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) on Wednesday urged the Centre to refer the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to a Parliamentary Subject Committee, stating that it violates “fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution as well as minority rights.”

The KCBC warned that the proposed amendments could lead to misuse of power, enabling authorities to take control of institutions run by voluntary organisations, including charitable bodies, educational institutions and places of worship, irrespective of religion or caste.

The Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, seeks to enhance transparency and ensure proper utilisation of foreign funds. Presenting the legislation, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said it aims to curb misuse of foreign funding, including for activities such as forced religious conversions.

The issue also triggered sharp exchanges between the opposition and the government in Parliament on Wednesday, with the Opposition terming it a move to curb minority rights and tighten control over NGOs.

While the Centre maintains that the legislation is intended to prevent foreign funding of anti-national activities, the KCBC expressed concern that the provisions grant unchecked powers to the bureaucracy, which could lead to communal and religious tensions. It also pointed out that several legally functioning voluntary organisations, including those run by the Catholic Church, are already facing difficulties such as non-renewal of FCRA registrations.

The Council, which met online on March 31, noted that the Bill has not undergone detailed discussion either in Parliament or in the public domain, and called for wider scrutiny. It has also written to the Centre seeking to address these concerns and refer the Bill to a parliamentary committee.

Earlier, several church leaders had raised concerns over the proposed amendments. However, responding to the criticism, Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Wednesday said there was no cause for concern among churches, asserting that only those violating norms need to worry.

The meeting was chaired by KCBC president Archbishop Varghese Chakkalakal and attended by bishops from all 32 Catholic dioceses in Kerala.