Goanet Digest, Vol 21, Issue 165

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Today's Topics:

   1. Read: "India?s top Catholic body flags ?undue interference?
      in minority institutions via govt amendment" (Vivek Pinto)
   2. Press Release - All India Christian Council condemns move to
      use FCRA to take away Christian properties meant for the
      development of Dalits, tribals, OBCs and marginalised people. the
      monies given to these institutions and projects came from
      individual and Christian churches for the wholistic development
      of these communities through Christians in India. as things stand
      whatever authority the proposed bill sets up under the BJP
      government will be run by RSS affiliated individuals. This is
      violation of the fundamental rights of Christians and other
      minorities (Vivek Pinto)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:36:23 +0900
From: Vivek Pinto <[email protected]>
To: Goanet <[email protected]>
Subject: [Goanet] Read: "India?s top Catholic body flags ?undue
	interference? in minority institutions via govt amendment"
Message-ID:
	<CAH3OY9y88QSWdJHodhogGL5gA-8QuGSJqqyZYtQO6znOhiCPtw-JsoAwUIsXosN+BqQ9rBEUg@public.gmane.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

By: Our Web Desk, PTI
Published in: *The Telegraph* *online*
Date: March 27, 2026
Source:
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/indias-top-catholic-body-flags-undue-interference-in-minority-institutions-via-govt-amendment/cid/2153388#goog_rewarded
*Note:* Please acces the source to read the entire article.

"The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 significantly
tightens its oversight of foreign-funded organisations, proposing the
creation of a powerful new authority to seize and manage the assets of
nonprofits that lose their licence."


------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2026 04:02:23 +0900
From: Vivek Pinto <[email protected]>
To: Goanet <[email protected]>
Subject: [Goanet] Press Release - All India Christian Council condemns
	move to use FCRA to take away Christian properties meant for the
	development of Dalits, tribals, OBCs and marginalised people. the
	monies given to these institutions and projects came from individual
	and Christian churches for the wholistic development of these
	communities through Christians in India. as things stand whatever
	authority the proposed bill sets up under the BJP government will be
	run by RSS affiliated individuals. This is violation of the
	fundamental rights of Christians and other minorities
Message-ID:
	<CAH3OY9xiCaoMuC1weJQ2p86yYtUcEz9StD4Acz0ZhjOEUjRjpg-JsoAwUIsXosN+BqQ9rBEUg@public.gmane.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

From: All India Christian Council <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2026 at 23:46
Subject: Press Release - All India Christian Council condemns move to use
FCRA to take away Christian properties meant for the development of Dalits,
tribals, OBCs and marginalised people. the monies given to these
institutions and projects came from individual and Christian churches for
the wholistic development of these communities through Christians in India.
as things stand whatever authority the proposed bill sets up under the BJP
government will be run by RSS affiliated individuals. This is violation of
the fundamental rights of Christians and other minorities


*All India Christian Council*

Most Rev. Dr. Joseph D' Souza
National President

*PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

*All India Christian Council condemns the move to use FCRA to take
away Christian properties meant for the development of Dalits,
tribals, OBCs and marginalised people. The monies given to these
institutions and projects came from individual and Christian churches for
the holistic development of these communities through Christians in India.
As things stand, whatever authority the proposed bill sets up under the BJP
government will be run by RSS affiliated individuals. This is a violation
of the fundamental rights of Christians and other minorities.*


Hyderabad, March 27, 2026:

The All India Christian Council, founded 1999, expresses profound alarm and
concern over the authorities continuing and accelerating alienation of
properties in the guise of enforcing FCRA. These lands, and assets are not
bought out of government funds in India or abroad. The development of these
assets in most cases is a combination of local and foreign funds. They
are specifically dedicated to the welfare and empowerment of Dalits,
tribals, and other marginalised communities.

This is a dangerous and deeply alarming crisis with immediate and
potentially irreversible consequences, AICC president Dr Joseph D?Souza
said. When the issue of waqf properties was in the supreme court
an RSS journal carried an article stating that now the BJP government
should do the same with Christian properties and bring them under
government control. The proposed new FCRA amendment is merely a ploy for
the government to take over properties and assets run by Christian
institutions.

Under the pretext of so called ?transparency and anti conversion rhetoric?
against development projects or economic initiatives, such alienation is
rapidly dispossessing the most vulnerable sections of society of vital
resources essential for their education, health, livelihood support, and
human dignity. It poses an immediate and grave threat to the
constitutionally guaranteed protections and safeguards for religious
minorities.

The systematic alienation of properties strikes at the very heart of
democratic principles of social justice, equality, and inclusive growth.
Such practices are not only contrary to the principles of natural justice
but also violate the spirit of the Constitution and the solemn commitments
made to the upliftment of the weaker sections of society and of a
democratic society. coming as this does when the. BJP leaders are trying to
woo the Christian community in Tamilnadu and Kerala in the upcoming state
election saying that the BJP is a friend of Christians exposes the double
standard of the present government with regard to Christians.

The AICC, which was specifically founded as a community watchdog for
minority rights and civil liberties, strongly condemns any legislative,
administrative or other measures that empower authorities, non-state
actors, or private entities to alienate these properties without the free,
prior and informed consent of the communities themselves. And
even then, communities would need iron-clad guarantees that their rights
and benefits will be fully protected. The weaponisation of the
investigative agencies is a hard reality in India and the Christian
community fears that the investigative agencies will be misused against the
minorities.

We feel these actions are wholly unacceptable, unjust, and raise the
gravest concerns regarding fairness, transparency, equity, and
accountability.

The AICC demands immediate and comprehensive consultation with affected
communities and civil society organisations working at the grassroots
level, rather than unilateral decisions that threaten their very survival
and future.

We call upon the Government of India and the State Governments to take
immediate and decisive action to immediately suspend all processes leading
to such alienation.

For further information and interview with Archbishop Most Rev Dr Joseph
Dsouza, please contact the number below:



Madhu Chandra Singh

Secretary

9100952490

[email protected]


End of Goanet Digest, Vol 21, Issue 165
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