Proposed law regulating foreign funding could hinder service organizations, warns Mission India

India's Foreign Contributions Regulation (FCR) Bill which has been tabled in the Parliament last December contain provisions that could seriously hinder the work of 20,000 development service groups, half of which are managed by Christians, Grand Rapids, Michigan–based Mission India has warned.

The amendment contain crippling provisions that give wide powers to the bureaucrats to enable them to review and revoke registrations at any time.

More specifically, the law would obligate service organizations that receive foreign funding to re–register every five years.

According to Mission India's Don Chapman, "Part of the motivation for this bill, besides trying to restrict funding for terrorist organizations, is to stop funding coming into the country that serves Christian ministry and organizations."

"Some believe that it could have a devastating impact on Christian work in India today," he said.

The amendment discourages long–term projects. Many groups may be discouraged from establishing long–term projects such as school and hospitals, since approval for foreign funding for these projects could be revoked after, or even before, the five–year period expired.

While protest is mounting, the government remains unmoved, maintaining that the amendment is necessary to keep a check on militant and separatist organizations that raise funds abroad for "anti–national" activities.

"There are very powerful groups at work. There's legislation at work to stifle this effort and part of the reason groups are very active in trying to slow the spread of the Gospel down is because the people of India are very responsive," Chapman said.

Mission India has urged the Christian community in India to pray so that mission and social welfare work of Christians are not hampered.

Meanwhile, outspoken Christian groups to plan to take up the issue with a Parliamentary Committee in early March. They are hoping to lay out their arguments before the Bill is passed in the Parliament.