Mohammad Azharuddin opposes FCRA Bill 2026, raises minority concerns

Former India captain and Minister for Public Enterprises and Minorities Welfare, Government of Telangana, Mohammad Azharuddin has opposed the proposed FCRA Amendment Bill 2026. He raised concerns about its possible impact on civil society organisations and the rights of religious minorities.

In a post shared on social media on Friday, Azharuddin criticised the proposed Bill and said, "The Bill also undermines the federal principles guaranteed by the Constitution." He also raised several other concerns about the proposed changes and their possible impact on organisations receiving foreign contributions.

Notably, Azharuddin is not the only Congress leader to oppose the proposed legislation. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has also criticised the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. The FCRA Amendment Bill, 2010 regulates the acceptance and use of foreign contributions in India by NGOs, trusts, societies, educational institutions, religious organisations, and other eligible entities.

See what he wrote on X here:

What Azharuddin actually said against the FCRA Amendment Bill

In a post shared on social media on Friday, Mohammad Azharuddin said he “strongly objected” to the government's attempt to pass the proposed FCRA Amendment Bill 2026. He raised concerns about the nature of the proposed amendments and their possible impact on civil society organisations.

Azharuddin alleged that the amendments would give the Centre sweeping powers over the assets of civil society organisations run by minority communities. He described the proposed changes as undemocratic and expressed strong opposition to the Bill.

He said: “I strongly object to the government’s attempt to pass the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026. The proposed amendments are undemocratic in nature, as they give the Centre sweeping powers to control the assets of civil society organisations run by minority communities.”

Azharuddin calls for protection of NGOs and minority rights

Azharuddin further urged the government to protect NGOs, charitable organisations, and humanitarian institutions that work for the public. He also called for the rights of religious minorities to be safeguarded while considering any changes to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

He said: “The Bill also undermines the federal principles guaranteed by the Constitution by taking away powers from the states and centralising the regulatory process. NGOs, charitable organisations and humanitarian assets created to serve the people must be protected, and the rights of religious minorities must be upheld.”

Azharuddin's remarks have added to the ongoing political and public debate over the proposed FCRA Amendment Bill 2026. Several opposition leaders and civil society groups have also raised concerns about some provisions of the Bill. At the time of writing, the government had not issued a response to Azharuddin's statement.

What the FCRA Amendment Bill 2026 proposes — Key changes explained

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 regulates how foreign contributions are received and used in India. It covers NGOs, trusts, societies, educational institutions, religious organisations, and other eligible entities that receive funds from foreign sources. Organisations must obtain registration or prior permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to receive foreign contributions.

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, India had 14,449 active FCRA registrations as of July 15, 2026. Since the law came into force, 22,498 registrations have been cancelled and another 15,212 have expired. Between 2019 and 2022, FCRA-registered organisations received foreign contributions worth ₹55,741 crore.

The proposed Amendment Bill seeks to change how foreign contributions and assets created from these funds are managed. One major proposal is the appointment of a government-designated authority to manage such assets when an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered, or not renewed. The Bill also proposes reducing the maximum prison term for certain violations from five years to one year and introducing a ₹10 lakh minimum utilisation threshold for renewal eligibility.