Opposition and Kiren Rijiju tussle over FCRA Bill, Lok Sabha passes motion to send FCRA Bill to JPC

Opposition demanded that the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, be withdrawn, alleging that the bill targets minorities. Opposition parties, including the Congress, demanded the withdrawal of the contentious FCRA Bill, as the Centre proposed to move a resolution on sending the it to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

Congress MP KC Venugopal said the Bill was the Centre's way to target NGOs and minority organisations. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav asserted that the entire Opposition is against the Bill. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju hit back at the Opposition, saying it should welcome the Bill being sent to the JPC, as they had been demanding. He added that any concerns over the Bill could be raised before the committee.

Amid Opposition uproar, the Lok Sabha passed a motion to send the Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a joint committee of both Houses of Parliament. The motion is listed in the supplementary list of business in the Lok Sabha. The Joint Committee of Parliament on the FCRA Amendment Bill will comprise 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha.