Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge addresses a public rally, in Haldwani, Uttarakhand (PTI)
Rudrapur (Uttarakhand): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has said that the party will oppose the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, with the issue also set to be discussed at a meeting of floor leaders of opposition parties on Monday.
Interacting with ANI here, Kharge said his visit to Uttarakhand was aimed at energising party workers ahead of next year’s Assembly polls. The FCRA Amendment Bill is expected to be introduced in the Lok Sabha in the last week of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Kharge, who is the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, addressed a public meeting in Haldwani on Saturday. During his visit, he will also interact with newly appointed state and district presidents in Rudrapur.
“We will oppose the FCRA-related move. We will take a decision (about strategy) tomorrow after a meeting of floor leaders,” Kharge said.
Kharge said Congress workers were working to oust the BJP government from power in the next Assembly elections in Uttarakhand. Defending his visit to the state, he said Congress leaders visit different places when necessary to energise party workers.
Several opposition parties have expressed their opposition to the FCRA Amendment Bill. Congress leader KC Venugopal on Friday said the party would vehemently oppose the Bill, asserting that the government “cannot bulldoze this type of bill”.
The Bill seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, with the stated objective of enhancing transparency and accountability in the regulation of foreign contributions.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday to present recommendations and raise regional concerns regarding the Bill. Lalduhoma later said he had raised six issues with Shah and that an assurance had been given that the amendments would not be retrospective.
Shah is also scheduled to begin discussions on the concerns raised over the Bill in Parliament on August 12. He had earlier held a meeting with members and representatives of the Christian community, who have opposed certain provisions of the legislation.
DMK president MK Stalin on Saturday urged the Union Government to withdraw the FCRA Amendment Bill and repeal Section 15 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.
In a post on X, Stalin said a delegation of the Joint Action Forum on Minorities, led by DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson and comprising religious leaders from various denominations, met Amit Shah on August 6 and pressed for withdrawal of the Bill. NCP(SP) has also opposed the proposed legislation.
In his Haldwani speech on Saturday, Kharge expressed confidence that Congress would form the government in Uttarakhand in the upcoming Assembly elections. He also criticised the BJP government over the police crackdown on protesting students in Delhi and raised issues concerning temple donations, unemployment, recruitment examinations and paper leaks in Uttarakhand.
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