THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which aims to expand its presence in Kerala in the upcoming Assembly elections with the support of the state’s 19% Christian population along with its core Hindu votes, is on the defensive in the wake of opposition by some Christian communities to the Foreign Contribution Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill brought by the Union government in the Lok Sabha.
The bill, which was introduced by Union Minister of State (Home Affairs) Nityanand Rai in the lower house of Parliament on March 25, aims to regulate the flow of foreign funds to NGOs to ensure that they do not adversely affect “national interest, public order or national security”. There are about 16,000 NGOs receiving approx $22,000 crores annually.
One provision of the bill includes creating a “dedicated authority” to manage an organization’s assets in the event its FCRA certification is revoked or surrendered.
In the case of a place of worship, the appointing authority can entrust the management or operation of assets to someone in a way that preserves the religious character of the place of worship.
The bill has raised concerns among Christian groups and churches in Kerala that charitable organizations under it could see their assets arbitrarily seized by the government in case there are lapses, even if only technical, in the FCRA.
Mar Basilius Clemis, current head of the Syru Malankara Church and president of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Conference (KCBC), said: “Through the amendment bill, an authoritarian framework and power is being created. Even before the courts intervene, the bill allows the government unlimited power to seize assets of an organization receiving foreign funds. This may lead to abuse of power by central agencies and violation of rights of citizens.”
Archbishop Thomas Tharayil, head of the Changanacherry diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church, said the proposed changes could upend the welfare initiatives in the education and health sectors undertaken by the church in rural areas in states like Kerala. He said that such changes in legislation would ultimately affect minorities.
“The amended bill stipulates that even if the asset is partly built using foreign funds, it can be usurped by the appointing authority (in case there are any lapses in the certification). How harsh is such a provision. This is a serious issue. This bill is not just about a few NGOs or Christian groups. It mainly affects the poor,” Thrailil added.
“Under our diocese alone, there are 109 ‘karunya bhavans’ run by our nuns for the destitute and elderly. People of all castes and religions live in these bhavans. We are able to run these centers because of the help given by the people which also includes aid from foreign countries.”
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) described the legislation as “dangerous” and “alarming” in its implications and urged the Union government to reconsider it.
The BJP’s Kerala unit is striving to contain the anger expressed by church groups, and has begun talks with senior clerics from major denominations, assuring them that their concerns will be heard.
BJP state vice president and Pala Assembly candidate Shaun George said only those involved in foreign contribution fraud need to worry about the new legislation.
“The BJP is committed to protecting the interests of all minority communities. The party’s state president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has held talks with the central leadership. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the state leadership that the government will go ahead with the bill only after all concerns over it are removed,” he added.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju also said that the bill does not target any religious group and is simply aimed at checking misuse of foreign funds.
The BJP has fielded several prominent Christian leaders this time, including George N Bala, Union Minister George Kurien in Kanjirappally, and party general secretary Anup Antony in Thiruvalla.
