MK Stalin at Nagercoil rally

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, campaigning ahead of the state assembly elections, on Saturday slammed the Union government’s proposed amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), alleging it targets minorities, particularly Christians.Also Read | ‘Anxiety among minorities’: Shashi Tharoor questions FCRA Ammendment BillThe FCRA bill could not be taken up for discussion in the Lok Sabha due to opposition protests. The BJP-led Centre has defended the legislation, with Union minister Kiren Rijiju asserting that it aims to protect national security and is not targeted at any particular religion.Addressing an election rally in Nagarcoil, Stalin called the FCRA bill an “assault on freedom of religion.”“The FCRA bill is draconian. It targets minorities, especially Christian organisations. If passed, recognition of Christian NGOs can be cancelled and their funds taken away even for minor lapses,” PTI quoted him as saying.The DMK supremo added, “The bill is tantamount to taking away rights provided by the Constitution, and it is a serious assault on the freedom of religion and also on people who wish to do social service. SCs, STs, and the rural poor will be affected the most.”Stalin also claimed he was the first to condemn the proposed amendments and stated that he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging that the bill be withdrawn.Nagercoil, where Stalin addressed the rally, has a significant Christian population. According to the 2011 national census, the town in Kanniyakumari district had a population of 2.24 lakh, of which around 30% are Christians.Meanwhile, Stalin further alleged that the Centre has failed to protect Tamil Nadu fishermen and criticised its foreign policy. He also claimed that PM Modi has weakened India’s influence, even among smaller neighbouring countries.Voting for all 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu is scheduled for April 23, with counting of votes set for May 4. In the 2021 polls, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance won 159 seats, with the DMK alone securing 133 victories—well above the majority mark of 118.