SHILLONG : The Meghalaya Congress will hold a peaceful march in Shillong on Monday to protest the Centre’s proposed amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), with the party warning that the move could have an impact on missionary-run educational and healthcare institutions across the Northeast.
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Eugene Jarain on Friday described the proposed amendment as a “contentious and sensitive issue” that requires immediate public attention.
Jarain alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre could move to pass the FCRA amendment soon and raised concerns over the voting requirements that could allow the legislation to be passed with limited attendance in the House.
He said institutions run by missionaries have played an important role in shaping education and healthcare in the Northeast and could be affected by the proposed changes.
“A lot of people in the North East have been educated in missionary schools and born in missionary hospitals,” Jarain said, adding that these institutions had contributed significantly to improving the standard of living in the region.
The peaceful march will begin at 11 am on Monday from the Laitumkhrah Fire Brigade ground and conclude at Don Bosco Square.
Jarain said the programme would remain peaceful and that there would be no disruption or unruly behaviour. He added that eminent speakers would explain the provisions of the proposed amendment to members of the public.
He also urged citizens to independently study the proposed legislation and understand its provisions.
“Go online, go to Google, check AI platforms. See what the proposed amendment says and what the wording is. Be aware and be prepared,” he said.
Clarifying the nature of the protest, Jarain said the march should not be viewed as a political programme, but as a public issue concerning institutions that have served the region for decades.
He said people across the Northeast have depended on missionary-run schools, hospitals and printing institutions for several decades and urged the public to study the proposed amendment carefully and understand its possible implications.