Shillong, July 29: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday said the Meghalaya government has already conveyed its concerns to the Centre regarding provisions in the proposed Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill that could affect the functioning of churches and religious institutions in the North East, particularly in Meghalaya.
Speaking to reporters, Tynsong said Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma had recently led a delegation to New Delhi and met central leaders, who assured the state that concerns relating to clauses affecting religious institutions would be addressed.
However, he said he was not in a position to confirm whether the suggested amendments had been incorporated into the Bill, as he had not yet received any update on the matter.
Tynsong pointed out that the FCRA is a national legislation applicable to various organisations and is not limited to Christian institutions. He said the state government’s concern was specifically related to provisions that could have an impact on churches and other religious bodies in Meghalaya.
He added that the government would be able to take a clear position on the Bill only after ascertaining whether the concerns and proposed amendments submitted by the state had been accepted by the Centre.
Referring to the Bill’s reintroduction in Parliament, Tynsong said amendments could still be made during the legislative process. He recalled that the Centre had assured the Meghalaya delegation that the state’s concerns would be taken into consideration.
