Christian Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Opposition raised concerns about the Waqf Amendment Bill during a meeting with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) on December 3 in New Delhi. Around 20 MPs, mostly from Opposition parties, attended the meeting to discuss various issues affecting the Christian community.
The Waqf Amendment Bill, which is currently under review by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), suggests changes to the Central Waqf Council and Waqf Boards, including adding non-Muslim members. MPs like Derek O’Brien (Trinamool Congress), Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose, Anto Antony (Congress), and John Brittas (CPI-M) strongly opposed these provisions, calling them intrusive.
Derek O’Brien said, “We believe that these changes go beyond what is necessary and can interfere with the rights of minority communities.”
The meeting, which was chaired by Archbishop Andrews, the CBCI president, also discussed other issues affecting Christians in India, including rising attacks on Christians, the misuse of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) to target Christian institutions, and the removal of Anglo-Indian reserved seats in Parliament and State Assemblies.
An MP from Kerala spoke out against the cancellation of FCRA licenses for Christian organizations, saying, “The cancellation of FCRA licenses has severely impacted Christian organizations and their ability to operate.”
Another MP emphasized the need for more action, saying, “We need to move beyond symbolic gestures and demand accountability from those who fail to uphold our constitutional values.”
While the atmosphere was cordial, several MPs criticized the church leadership for its relationship with the government since 2014, calling it “transactional.” One MP said, “The leadership has been too focused on short-term goals, and it’s time for a more proactive approach.”
Despite the criticisms, CBCI leadership assured the MPs that they were committed to addressing the community’s challenges. Archbishop Andrews said, “We understand the concerns and are dedicated to working towards finding solutions for the Christian community.”
