Indian bishops press government on rights amid mounting Christian concerns

NEW DELHI  (Indian Catholic News) — India’s Catholic bishops urged the federal government to amend proposed foreign funding regulations, protect religious freedom and the rights of Christians of Scheduled Caste origin, and intervene urgently to end the humanitarian crisis in Manipur.

A delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), led by its president Cardinal Anthony Poola of Hyderabad, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on July 10 and presented a memorandum outlining concerns over the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, new FCRA rules, religious freedom, Scheduled Caste rights and the continuing violence in Manipur.

FCRA amendments challenged

The bishops said the proposed amendments and recently notified rules could seriously affect charitable institutions that provide education, health care, humanitarian assistance and social services across India.

While affirming that the Church supports government efforts to ensure “transparency, accountability and national security,” the memorandum argued that several provisions could harm organizations that have served vulnerable communities for decades. It requested withdrawal of the proposed legislation and rules and called for a redrafted framework with constitutional safeguards.

Among its recommendations, the CBCI urged that any amendments apply only prospectively rather than retrospectively, that adjudication be overseen by judicial officers, and that severe penalties such as cancellation of registration or confiscation of assets be reserved for proven serious violations after due legal process.

The bishops also objected to including the term “proselytization” in the rules without defining it, warning it could be misused against faith-based charitable organizations. They said charitable, educational and humanitarian work “should not be misinterpreted as acts of religious conversion.”

Religious freedom and Scheduled Caste status

The memorandum also raised concerns over state anti-conversion laws and the long-pending legal challenge to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, which denies Scheduled Caste status to Christians and other religious minorities of Scheduled Caste origin.

The bishops said implementation of freedom of religion laws in some states has led to “a noticeable increase in allegations, intimidation, and acts of hostility directed against Christians,” creating “fear and insecurity among minority communities.”

They urged the government to facilitate the speedy hearing of cases pending before India’s Supreme Court, saying prolonged delays continue to affect “the rights, dignity, equality, and religious freedom of millions of citizens.”

Appeal over Manipur crisis

A substantial portion of the memorandum focused on Manipur state in northeastern India, where ethnic violence has displaced thousands since 2023.

The bishops described the situation as “one of the gravest concerns facing our nation,” saying thousands of farming families have lost access to their land while displaced communities remain dependent on humanitarian assistance.

They said children and young people have experienced severe educational disruption because of displacement, financial hardship and insecurity, while many families have migrated to other states seeking safety, education and livelihoods.

According to the memorandum, the trauma affecting children, women, older people, clergy and religious has had “profound psychological, emotional and spiritual consequences,” adding that the “situation have become more grave recently.”

Pledge of cooperation

The CBCI appealed for “the immediate intervention of the Government of India” to restore “lasting peace, harmony, and normalcy” in Manipur while reaffirming its commitment to India’s constitutional values.

The bishops concluded by pledging to work with the government in promoting “peace, reconciliation, humanitarian relief, and the restoration of communal harmony,” while maintaining that any changes to foreign funding laws should protect institutions serving poor and marginalized communities.

The delegation also expressed concern during the meeting over rising attacks on Christians and appealed for swift government intervention to “ensure peace, protect constitutional rights, and restore harmony,” according to a CBCI statement.

Read the CBCI press release and memorandum.