Shillong, September 29: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday said the proposed amendment to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) is not targeted specifically at Christian organisations but applies to all organisations receiving foreign contributions.
Responding to queries on the issue, Tynsong said any organisation receiving funds or contributions from abroad would come under the ambit of the proposed amendment. “If you talk about the FCRA Amendment Bill, it does not specifically mean only Christian organisation. In fact, this is for any organisation who are receiving funds or contribution from outside, so it falls under the purview of this amendment,” he said.
Tynsong said concerns have arisen over provisions that could lead to penalties, including cancellation of registration, if organisations fail to renew their registration or comply with the proposed regulations. “In case they fail to renew, if they fail to comply with so many regulations proposed, they may ultimately be penalised in the sense of cancellation of the registration,” he said.
He said these concerns are shared by NGOs registered under the Act, including Christian organisations, and stressed that the amendment in its present form needs to be reconsidered. “That is why the concern of all the NGOs registered under this Act, including the Christian organisations, is that the present form of the amendment needs to be revisited,” Tynsong said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also welcomed the decision to refer the Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, saying it would provide an opportunity for the concerns of affected organisations and the Northeast to be examined.
He further welcomed the inclusion of James Sangma as a special invitee to the committee following a request by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma. “Thank God, at least the Parliament has decided to refer it to the Joint Parliamentary Committee,” Tynsong said, adding that James Sangma’s inclusion was a positive development, particularly for Christian organisations and the Northeastern states.
