Thiruvananthapuram | BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has defended the amendments to the FCRA, saying they were intended to prevent foreign contributions from being used for money laundering and that they were not aimed at targeting any particular community.
Responding to reporters' questions about concerns raised by several Christian organisations over the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) amendments, Chandrasekhar said the issue had been politicised by the Congress during the elections.
"The Congress made this a big political issue during the elections, and we lost a lot of Christian support because of that," he told reporters on Friday.
He rejected allegations that the amendments targeted Christian institutions, noting that organisations from all religious communities receive foreign contributions under the FCRA.
Chandrasekhar said there was nothing in the amendments that would be used to target any group.
"This amendment is meant to prevent foreign contributions from being used for money laundering. That is what the Home Ministry has said. There is nothing in the bill that will be used to target anybody," he said.
He said organisations with genuine concerns should engage with the Union Home Ministry rather than create apprehensions.
"If somebody has a legitimate concern, they should sit down, understand the bill and talk to the Home Ministry. If necessary, I can facilitate that. If you are sincere about understanding the bill and the amendments, we are more than happy to have a conversation. The Government of India is also willing to have that conversation," he said.
About the 51st anniversary of the Emergency, Chandrasekhar said the occasion should not be remembered merely as a chapter in history but as a reminder of the need to safeguard democracy and constitutional values.
"The Emergency should be remembered not only as a piece of history but also as something very relevant in today's politics and democracy. As India grows and moves towards becoming a Viksit Bharat, there are forces, both within the country and outside, that want to undermine our democracy, our Republic and our Constitution," he said.
Referring to Kerala, Chandrasekhar alleged that there were attempts to compromise constitutional values even today.
"Even today, under our very noses, there is an attempt to undermine our Constitution when forces like Jamaat-e-Islami are being mainstreamed into Kerala politics by the Congress party. This is a dangerous trend," he alleged.
He also accused the state government of "undermining" fundamental rights through its policies.
"The right to property is being trampled in Kerala by the Waqf Board. The right to life is being undermined by making alcohol cheap and easily available to the youth of the state," he claimed.
Quoting the adage that those who forget history are condemned to repeat it, Chandrasekhar said, "We should not be condemned to repeat it in Kerala."
