The FCRA bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 seeking overall seeks strict government oversight on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) functioning and foreign funding in the country
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With two days left for parliament’s monsoon session to get over, the government is unlikely to be in a position to initiate a discussion on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment (FCRA) Bill, 2026 in parliament on Wednesday. It may refer the legislation to a joint parliamentary committee as opposition parties, especially Congress, DMK, TMC and Samajwadi Party (SP), have hardened their stand and want the bill either be withdrawn or scrapped in the present format.Government sources said sending the bill to the joint parliamentary committee is one of the two options being considered. It is being weighed as the NDA does not want to pass the legislation without proper discussion given the international interest in the proposed amendments sought to the FCRA Act. Key among them, which are being opposed by religious bodies and opposition, is that the bill seeks to make amendments applicable retrospectively and that a government entity would take over the possession of an institution if its FCRA registration is over or it fails to get renewed. However, the organisation will get ownership back on the renewal of the registration.The other option is to make attempts in the next session of parliament for initiating a debate on the bill, said sources.The bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 seeking overall seeks strict government oversight on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) functioning and foreign funding in the country, was to come up for discussion on Wednesday in the parliament, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma had told reporters after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah on August 7. The CM, however, had said that Shah had assured that the bill would not have retrospective effect implications.Though it was not on the agenda, opposition parties—including Congress and the TMC—raised the issue during the Rajya Sabha’s Business Advisory Committee meeting, asking when the FCRA Bill would be taken up for discussion. To that, the government replied that a decision would be made in due course.Others like the BJD have openly expressed their stand that the bill could be sent to a joint committee of Parliament for further scrutiny.Chaired by Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan, the Business Advisory Committee was attended by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and leader of the house J P Nadda and opposition leaders Jairam Ramesh (Cong), Tiruchi Siva (DMK) and Sasmit Patra (BJD).During the meeting, the BAC allotted two hours for ‘The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026’; two hours for ‘The Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026’; three hours for ‘The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026’; and 1.5 hours for ‘The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026. Both the bills - The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and ‘The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 were passed by the LS in din on Tuesday.Later, Deputy Chairman Harivansh announced the decisions of the business advisory committee in the House.Ready for discussionsUnion Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress and other Opposition parties on Tuesday of stalling parliament to avoid a debate on student protests, asserting the government is ready for a full discussion and a response from Home Minister Amit Shah.He told the reporters that the government had made an offer earlier to hold a complete and detailed discussion on the students’ protest and was prepared to respond to all issues raised by the Opposition.“Yesterday, we made an offer that the government is ready for a complete and detailed discussion over everything which happened around the students’ protest. We had the reply ready and Home Minister Amit Shah was ready too. But they (the opposition) are not letting a discussion happen,” Rijiju said.The logjam in parliament continues, with the NDA MPs holding out a protest outside the parliament to counter opposition on the students protest issue. Rijiju said that the Opposition continued to prevent the House from functioning despite the government’s readiness to hold the discussion.Today, too, we were ready. But Congress ran away and sloganeered outside, not letting a discussion take place. It is clear to the people of the country that we are ready for a discussion and Congress is running away from it,” he said.Published on August 11, 2026
