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As the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament enters its final phase, the heat in Delhi’s political circles has reached its peak. The Foreign Contribution (Amendment) Bill, or FCRA, being introduced by the central government, is expected to cause a ruckus in Parliament. The ruling party and the opposition have already come face to face over this legislation. The Congress-led opposition “India” bloc has already written a complete script to corner the government on this issue. The Congress has issued a strict three-line whip for all its Lok Sabha MPs, making attendance in the House mandatory on August 10, 11, and 12. This time, the opposition will not give the government an easy escape due to the Home Minister’s absence.

What is the FCRA controversy?

The entire controversy surrounding the FCRA bill revolves around some of its most sensitive and stringent provisions. The bill included a proposal that would grant retrospective rights to a government-designated officer over the movable and immovable properties of social or religious organizations whose FCRA registration is cancelled or terminated. Why the Government Seems to Be on the Back Foot

This issue is considered politically sensitive for the Bharatiya Janata Party, especially in states like Kerala and the Northeast, where the BJP is constantly striving to strengthen its roots and increase its support base among the Christian community.

Possibility of a hard-fought House

There is strong buzz that this much-discussed amendment bill to the Home Ministry may be tabled in the Lok Sabha on August 10. The Foreign Contribution (Amendment) Bill, or FCRA, being introduced by the central government, is likely to cause uproar in Parliament. The opposition is hopeful that Home Minister Amit Shah will personally be present in the House to introduce the bill and respond to the debate. This is the opportunity the opposition has been waiting for for the past two weeks. Congress Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore says the opposition is fully prepared for a debate on both the delimitation and FCRA bills. They allege that the government is using these bills to divert attention from real public issues and the ongoing student protests across the country. However, this time, the opposition will not let the Home Minister’s absence allow the government an easy escape.

Opposition’s Aggressive Stance

The Congress-led opposition ‘India’ bloc has already written a complete script to corner the government on this issue. The strategy was finalized at a high-level meeting of top leaders held in the office of Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge. At the meeting, the Congress also urged all its allies to ensure 100% attendance of their MPs. The Congress has issued a strict three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, making attendance mandatory on August 10, 11, and 12. Congress Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore says the opposition is fully prepared for the debate on both the delimitation and FCRA bills. The opposition has been demanding that the Home Minister issue an official statement in the House on the entire incident. This issue is also considered politically sensitive for the Bharatiya Janata Party. This is why, as the controversy has escalated, the government has signaled a softening of its stance.