Dr SQR Ilyas, National General Secretary of Welfare Party of India strongly condemned the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced by the BJP-led central government and said,” the bill, touted as a measure for transparency, is actually a calculated, weaponized attempt to target, intimidate, and eventually destroy charitable, educational, and healthcare institutions run by minority communities, particularly Christian and Muslim NGOs.”
He said,” The proposed amendments, particularly the creation of a ‘designated authority’ empowered to seize assets, are the final blow (after the Waqf Act) to the secular fabric of India’s voluntary sector.”
He said, “The amendment grants the government arbitrary powers to freeze assets, seize properties, and dissolve organizations, including religious and charitable trusts, under the pretext of procedural delays or minor lapses, there by infiltrating into constitutionally guaranteed freedoms under Articles 25-30.
He said,” If an NGO’s licence is cancelled or not renewed, the Bill empowers the government to take control of its assets, potentially handing over schools, hospitals, and hostels run by minority bodies to government-appointed managers.
Dr Ilyas pointed out that this new legislation, which comes amid a rise in targeted harassment of minorities, is aimed at reducing foreign-funded humanitarian work.
He added, “This Bill is not about reform or accountability. It is a calculated design to destroy minority institutions that have served the public for decades.
He concluded, saying,
“By creating a ‘sword of Damocles’ over voluntary organizations, the BJP is trying to choke the lifeline of social and educational upliftment for minorities, replacing them with a state-controlled apparatus.”
He pointed out to that the timing of this bill, coupled with the reduction in the transparency of the FCRA portal since 2022, suggests a targeted effort to silence voices that do not align with the ruling party’s ideology.
Dr Ilyas called upon all citizens, democratic institutions, and international observers to recognize this threat to constitutional rights, particularly the right to maintain minority and Civil Society institutions.
He said, “We demand the immediate withdrawal of the contentious provisions that allow for the seizure of assets and undue interference in the functioning of community-run organizations”.
Issued by
Islah Asri Sabri
Media Coordinator