The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) organised a protest rally in Shillong on Monday against the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, describing the proposed legislation as “draconian” and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
During the rally in Shillong, the party also targeted the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) over its stand on the legislation in Parliament.
The Congress alleged that the proposed amendments could threaten institutions dependent on foreign contributions and questioned whether the NPP, an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre, would oppose or support the Bill.
The protest rally, which began at the Fire Brigade Ground in Laitumkhrah and culminated at Don Bosco Square, was led by MPCC president Vincent H Pala, AICC Joint Secretary Anthony Mathew, Working President Deborah C Marak and other senior party leaders and members of the Mahila Congress.
The Congress said the proposed amendments could have far-reaching consequences for schools, colleges, hospitals, charitable organisations and welfare institutions dependent on foreign contributions, particularly those run by Christian missionary bodies.
Addressing the gathering, Pala described the rally as a response to what he termed the “first attack after Independence” on churches, schools and NGOs receiving foreign contributions.
“This rally is about people, not politics. These institutions are not against the Government of India. They are here to work with the government,” Pala said.
Calling the proposed amendments one of the most dangerous Bills in the history of India, the MPCC president specifically raised concerns over Clause 16(a), alleging that the provision could enable the government to take over institutional properties if their FCRA registration was not renewed or was surrendered.
“If you cannot renew your FCRA, or if you surrender it, the government can take over your property. Even if a church or school receives a small percentage of foreign funding, the entire property can be attached,” he alleged.
Pala warned that Meghalaya, where church-run educational and social institutions have a significant presence, could be particularly affected if FCRA registrations were not renewed.
“Look at St Anthony’s, St Edmund’s and so many other schools across the state that depend on FCRA. If licenses are not renewed and these institutions shut down, our children will suffer,” MPCC Chief said.
“Through FCRA we don’t get buildings. We get education, hospitals, and support for the poor. Cut off that help and unemployment and hardship will only grow. This is not about party interest. The Congress is fighting for the future of our children,” he added.
Speaking to media persons later, Pala alleged that the proposed amendments were intended to target institutions and NGOs and facilitate greater government control over their properties.
“This is a rally as sign of protest against the introduction of FCRA bill in parliament, everybody who wants to get fund from outside of the country they need a license, and this license is called FCRA. The problem is that the ammendment of FCRC, the intentension is to target the institutions, to take away the property of the institutions to take away the property of the NGOs and to harass the NGOs, to harass the institutions,” Meghalaya Congress Chief said.
The Congress also sought to make the NPP’s position on the proposed Bill a central issue of the protest, arguing that the party’s conduct in Parliament would determine whether it stood with institutions in Meghalaya or with its political ally at the Centre.
“The MDA in the state we have seen in the parliament, NPP now has member of parliament and Congress too has member of parliament, the history will tell what they (NPP) are going to do in Parliament, whether they support FCRA or the oppose it,” the Congress leader said.
Pala alleged that the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government would ultimately support the legislation because of its political alignment with the BJP.
“I am afraid that they will run away, so the MDA is definitely will support the FCRA bill. The MDA is part of BJP, So, where will they go?” Pala said.
He, however, said the Congress was yet to ascertain the NPP’s official position on the proposed amendments.
“When the central Government introduced the bill, we have to see who all supports. we are yet to see the views of NPP, we don’t know,” Pala said.
The MPCC Chief also sought to distinguish the Congress rally from the recent protest organised by the Voice of the People Party (VPP), which drew a larger turnout, saying the two demonstrations had different objectives.
“VPP’s rally was a political rally and this is the rally of protest, there is a difference in them. That was a political rally to go to against the government. We don’t organize that rally, this is rally only because only people who are affected from FCRA, who understands FCRA and these are the only people we invited,” he said.
The MPCC president also questioned the outcome of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent meeting with church leaders in Delhi, alleging that the interaction had not resulted in any concrete commitment or change to the proposed legislation.
“Amit Shah meeting church leaders in Delhi, he said Amit Shah haras the church leaders, he didn’t have any commitment. He didn’t make any change. Let’s see he, it all he made. But as on today, there’s no change in the bill, and there’s no commitment which he made,”
Pala said alleging that the proposed amendments could be used to exert pressure not only on Christian institutions but also on NGOs and organisations belonging to other communities.
“The government will never be able to wipe out the Christians in India, they tried it, but this is a way where they can harass the not only the Christians, even other communities or so other NGOs. These are ways of harassing and in the way of looting the property,” the former MP said.
He further alleged that enhanced government control could threaten the ownership and functioning of institutions such as schools, hospitals and churches, “If you see by putting bill in such a way that everything will be handled by the Government authority that itself is crashing and looting, your schools will be taken away. Hospitals can be taken away. The church will be taken away.”
The Congress also linked its opposition to the proposed FCRA amendments to the broader political contest at the Centre, with Pala predicting a change in government after the BJP’s present tenure.
“BJP in the government will be another two to two and a half years. Then, I think there’ll be a change. Definitely,” he added.
