NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Wednesday criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government for the introduction of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill (FCRA), 2026, in the Lok Sabha, calling the Bill 'malafide' and 'undemocratic'. While the BJP, in its defence, said the Bill aims to regulate foreign funding and is in 'national interest'.
The Bill was introduced on March 25 by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, during the ongoing Budget Session.
Congress MP Manish Tewari termed the Bill "arbitrary, malafide and capricious".
He told reporters, "When the FCRA Amendment Bill was introduced, I had opposed it on the first principles of constitutionalism. The Bill is arbitrary, malafide and capricious. It does not measure on the test stone of constitutionality."
He said that the Bill offends Article 14, Article 19, Article 21, Article 300A of the Indian Constitution and therefore needs to be "strongly opposed".
Congress MP Hibi Eden told IANS, "The Bill is draconian in nature." He claimed that it is an invasion into the lives of the minority communities.