Leaders from Congress and the Left have urged the Centre to withdraw the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2026, citing restrictions on NGOs.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing the amendments as a systemic assault on civil society. He objected to requirements for additional approvals, separate fees for expanding operations, and fines of up to 30 per cent of foreign funds for violations.
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah raising constitutional concerns over the rules. He said the changes shift focus from regulating foreign funds to regulating voluntary organisations themselves.
Congress MP M K Raghavan also appealed to Amit Shah to repeal the amendments. He warned that restrictions on administrative expenses and designated bank accounts in Delhi would stall welfare activities and lead to job losses in the social sector.
