Christian Leaders Urge Amit Shah to Withdraw Controversial Foreign Contribution Bill

Meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah

A delegation of Christian leaders, led by DMK Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson, met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday to request the withdrawal of the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. The delegation expressed concerns regarding the bill's restrictive provisions.

They argued that the new legislation would replace the existing regulatory framework with one that could negatively impact charitable organizations across the country. In a memorandum presented to Shah, they suggested that if the government is unwilling to retract the bill, it should be sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for a thorough review of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.

The delegation also called for the removal of Section 15 of the current act. According to a statement from the Joint Action Forum on Minorities, the delegation included representatives from various Christian communities, including Archbishop Anil Couto, CSI Moderator K. Ruben Mark, Evangelist Paul Dinakaran, and representatives from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, the National Council of Churches in India, and the Church of North India.

Key Figures in the Delegation

The statement released by the Joint Action Forum on Minorities highlighted the prominent representatives from major Christian communities and organizations who were part of the delegation led by MP P. Wilson:

Archbishop Anil Couto

CSI Moderator K. Ruben Mark

Evangelist Paul Dinakaran

Representatives from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI)

Representatives from the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI)

Representatives from the Church of North India (CNI)

Hope for Consideration

The delegation expressed hope that the Ministry of Home Affairs would sympathetically consider their requests in the interest of social and charitable organizations.