Conversion lobby closing operations after FCRA crackdown: Evangelists rendered jobless, seek other 'career options'





The Union Government’s massive crackdown on foreign funding of illegal non-profit organisations has resulted in the retreat of several evangelical organisations which were engaged in forced religious conversions in South India, especially in Kerala.

With fund flows declining, according to local Malayalam newspapers, hundreds of the pastors who led conversion drive for money, have withdrawn themselves from the 'service' and are now looking for other 'career options'.

The evangelical churches have temporarily stopped the 'service' and prayers at small scale parsonages (evangelical churches). There is a huge decline in the number of prayer meetings which were used to be held on the roadsides. The crisis came after the pastors stopped receiving their monthly income from the foreign countries in the form of aid.

Hundreds of dedicated Pentecostal groups are operational in the districts such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Kottayam in Kerala. Most of such districts have been severely affected after streamlining the working of NGOs as per the FCRA, Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

Millions of rupees had been pouring into the accounts of evangelical churches until 2014. According to a report by a foreign consultancy Bain & Co., the FCRA crackdown has resulted in a massive 40 per cent decline in fund flows from external sources in the four years.