KOHIMA, AUG 11: Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging him to consider with sensitivity the concerns raised by churches and Christian organisations in Nagaland regarding the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). Rio said the changes in the FCRA can adversely affect welfare, education, healthcare and social-service programmes.
Supporting the letter of the Nagaland Chief Minister, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) said today that it fully endorsed Dr. Neiphiu Rio’s letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.
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The NPF said it is of the view that the proposed changes may place undue pressure on churches, Christian charitable bodies, and the educational, health and welfare programmes they run across Nagaland. The NPF urged that the FCRA Amendment Bill be referred to a Parliamentary Committee for wider consultation. It also stated that stakeholders and faith-based organisations must be given an opportunity to share their views. The NPF added that such consultation will address genuine concerns, uphold transparency and accountability, and reflect the NDA government’s commitment to inclusive governance and India’s secular values.
According to the NPF, for over 150 years, churches and Christian organisations in Nagaland have worked alongside the government in providing healthcare, education, and relief during calamities and the COVID pandemic. Much of this service has been sustained through genuine foreign partnerships, it added.
Across India too, according to the NPF, Christian institutions have contributed significantly to nation building through schools, colleges, hospitals and charitable bodies serving all communities without distinction.
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In Nagaland, these institutions have also played a key role in promoting literacy, women empowerment, skill development, rural development, and peace-building, especially in remote and border areas where government reach is limited, the NPF cited.
The NPF then noted that existing FCRA rules have already created financial and administrative strain. The new amendments could further burden small grassroots organisations. The party is concerned by reports of rejection of FCRA renewals citing alleged misuse. Such cases must be examined objectively and on merit so that genuine welfare work is not affected. The NPF extended support to the representations made by the Nagaland Baptist Church Council and the Bishop of Kohima to the Union Home Minister.
The NPF said it stands with the people of Nagaland in safeguarding institutions that have served the state for generations.
The NPF then appealed to the Central Government to consider Nagaland’s unique history, social structure and developmental needs while finalising the FCRA rules.
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