Mizoram church body announces protest rally against proposed FCRA amendment Bill

PTI, July 30, 2026, Aizawl : The Council of Churches (CCM), an apex church body in Mizoram, has called for a protest rally in Aizawl on August 11 to express its strong resistance against the proposed Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill 2026.

The Council of Churches in Mizoram (CCM), a conglomerate of nine major churches, including the Presbyterian Church of India (PCI) and Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM), also slammed the state government for its alleged “indifferent approach” towards the legislation.

The move comes ahead of the bill’s scheduled introduction in the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Speaking to reporters during a press conference here, CCM president Rev Dr R. Lalbiakliana claimed that the state government had not taken a sufficiently proactive stand against the proposed legislation, possibly because it would not be directly affected by its implementation.

Church bodies and civil society organisations, however, could face serious consequences if the bill becomes law, he claimed, adding that the CCM would continue opposing the measure until it is withdrawn.

According to Rev Lalbiakliana, the protest rally will begin simultaneously in two directions — one from Zarkawt and another from Sikulpuikawn at 10:30 am, with participants converging outside Vanapa Hall for a public programme.

The CCM invited not only its member churches but also other Christian denominations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and members of the public who oppose the bill to join the demonstration, he said.

While acknowledging that the proposed amendment may appear reasonable on the surface, the CCM leader argued that while the bill might appear harmless on the surface, a deeper examination, viewed alongside the historical and ongoing challenges faced by minorities across the country, raised “serious concerns” about its potential administrative misuse.

He claimed that under the existing FCRA, organisations found using foreign contributions for religious conversion are liable to have their licences cancelled and their assets confiscated.

The CCM expressed particular concern over provisions in the proposed amendment that would allow authorities to confiscate properties, land and other assets acquired through foreign funding if an organisation’s FCRA licence is cancelled, describing the measure as a major escalation from the current law.

The church body also objected to the proposal to establish a designated authority, which it said would have sweeping powers to seize, liquidate, or sell assets owned by churches and NGOs without requiring judicial warrants or court oversight.

Such provisions, Rev Lalbiakliana argued, undermined due legal process and posed a serious threat to civil society organisations.

According to him, 19 organisations in Mizoram currently hold FCRA licences and the Presbyterian Church and the Baptist Church are the only two churches holding licences under the FCRA.

He further claimed that although Christian organisations account for only around 12 per cent of FCRA licence holders nationwide, they receive between 55 and 60 per cent of the total foreign contributions regulated under the Act.