The BJP leadership in Kerala has found itself in a catch-22 situation over the Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) Bill that the Catholic Church, Congress and the CPM have alleged is aimed at targeting Christians.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who is contesting from a crucial seat in Thiruvananthapuram in the April 9 Assembly elections, has been claiming that the ruling Left and the Opposition United Democratic Front have unleashed a propaganda campaign against his party ahead of the polls.
The BJP is apprehensive of minority consolidation against the party if the FCRA Bill is taken up for discussion in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
The Centre’s move to bring in an amendment has come at an inopportune moment for the Kerala BJP, which is desperately trying to woo the Christian community in Kerala.
Mar Andrews Thazhath, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur, was the first Catholic prelate to openly object to proposed provisions that would allow the government to take over assets of organisations whose licences are cancelled or not renewed.
Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, on Tuesday urged the Centre to reconsider the proposed amendment in view of apprehensions among minority communities.
Addressing reporters, the cardinal said the amendments, recently introduced in the Lok Sabha, could grant “excessive autocratic powers” to authorities and may be prone to misuse.
“There is anxiety among minority sections regarding the provisions in the proposed law. A review or reconsideration is necessary to address these concerns,” he said.
He noted that even under the existing legal framework, regulations governing foreign contributions were stringent, adding that the licences of a large number of NGOs had been cancelled in recent years.
“With stricter provisions being proposed, there is apprehension about the sustainability of many organisations,” he said.
While the government has maintained that genuine entities would not be affected, concerns persist at the ground level, the cardinal said.
Referring to recent statements by a central minister on action against forced religious conversions, he said there was a perception that certain provisions could be used to target Christian institutions.
He added that even giving a Bible to someone could be interpreted as an attempt at forced conversion, making such provisions open to
misuse.
Asked about the Opposition’s claims about the bill, Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said on Tuesday: “There are some rumours spread by the communist party and the Congress in Kerala that the government of India is bringing the FCRA amendment bill to stop the activities of various religious organisations.
“The proposed amendment bill has been brought only to regulate foreign
funding into India, only to check misuse of funds in any illegal activity.”