Congress Accuses Amit Shah of Misleading CBCI, Weaponizing FCRA

KC Venugopal, Congress General Secretary, accused Home Minister Amit Shah of misleading the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India and using FCRA against civil society. The amended rules prevent organizations from changing their operations, prompting accusations of the Modi government's harsh control over civil bodies.

In a direct confrontation with the Union government, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal on Friday leveled serious accusations against Home Minister Amit Shah, claiming he misled the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) while weaponizing the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) against civil society organizations.

Venugopal took to social media platform X to criticize the amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2026, branding them as detrimental to the operational scope of these organizations. According to Venugopal, the ruling BJP is employing the FCRA as a strategic tool to target vocal civil society bodies and institutions led by minorities, causing undue distress and property takeovers.

The Congress leader highlighted how the government tightened FCRA regulations in 2020, extending the potential suspension period for organizations, enhancing central scrutiny powers, and capping administrative expenses. This, he suggested, severely inhibits organizations from executing their regular functions. Venugopal further accused the government of retracting an unpopular amendment intended to facilitate government property seizures, only to reintroduce it later discreetly. He challenged the BJP to identify any such measures under the 2010 FCRA, asserting that the current legislation is draconian and threatens civil freedoms.