Opposition Protests FCRA Amendment Bill in Delhi

Opposition lawmakers from several parties staged a protest in the Parliament House complex in New Delhi on Wednesday, demanding the withdrawal of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to tighten oversight on foreign funding to nongovernmental organizations and other entities.

The demonstration, held at the Makar Dwar entrance, involved members of the Congress party along with lawmakers from the Samajwadi Party, Indian Union Muslim League, Nationalist Congress Party, and Revolutionary Socialist Party. Participants, including Congress MP Hibi Eden, Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav, and Revolutionary Socialist Party MP N.K. Premchandran, carried a large banner reading "Stop Targeting NGOs and Institutions" and chanted slogans criticizing the government's approach. The protest occurred ahead of the Lok Sabha's scheduled consideration of the bill, introduced on March 25 by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai.

Opposition leaders expressed concerns that the amendments could hinder the operations of civil society groups, particularly those serving minority communities. Hibi Eden described the bill as a measure that would affect not only...