SHILLONG, JUL 6: The Khasi Jaintia Christian Leaders Forum (KJCLF) on Monday expressed appreciation for Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and church leaders from the state for raising concerns over the FCRA Amendment Bill 2026 and the FCRA Amendment Rules 2026 with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
In a statement, KJCLF Secretary Rev Edwin H Kharkongor said the meeting was a “visionary initiative” to highlight how the proposed changes could affect social service institutions in Meghalaya.
“We acknowledge with great appreciation the visionary initiative of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and the Church Leaders from Meghalaya to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah for impressing upon the Honourable Minister the concerns on the FCRA Amendment Bill 2026, and to protest against the strict FCRA Amendment Rules 2026,” Rev Kharkongor said.
The forum noted that educational and healthcare institutions run by faith-based and civil society organisations play a critical role in areas where government services do not reach.
“The State worries that proposed changes will break vital social programs as educational and healthcare institutions across Meghalaya would adversely be affected. These institutions provide essential care where government services fail to reach,” the statement added.
Following the meeting with the Union Home Minister, KJCLF has urged the state government to take up the matter in the Assembly.
“Pursuant to the above meeting, the KJCLF requests CM Conrad Sangma and State Legislators to adopt a resolution in the State Legislative Assembly urging the Union Government to withdraw the FCRA Amendment Bill 2026 and the FCRA Amendment Rules 2026 – as the Kerala State Legislature has done on 1st July 2026,” Rev Kharkongor said.
The forum also called on the Chief Minister and church leaders to take the issue to other Northeastern states.
“Furthermore, as an influential leader in the region, we request Mr Conrad Sangma as well as Community and Church Leaders in the region to influence the Chief Ministers of North East States to pass similar resolutions on this matter,” he added.
The FCRA amendments have drawn concern from several non-governmental and faith-based organisations across the country, who say tighter regulations could impact funding for schools, hospitals and welfare programmes run with foreign contributions.
