Christian leaders meet Vijay, Tamil Nadu passes resolution against foreign donation bill | Gravitas

Even as the monsoon session of parliament has been marred by disruptions, derailing any meaningful debate on key bills, Tamil Nadu CM Vijay has taken the lead.

Whether it is the amendments to the country's foreign funding law or the pending delimitation bill, the actor-turned-politician has emerged as a fierce opponent of BJP.

On Tuesday, the Tamil Nadu assembly approved a resolution tabled by the TVK government urging the centre to withdraw the FCRA Amendment Bill.

Speaking on the bill, the state's education minister asserted that its provisions may adversely affect the autonomy of charitable organisations and educational institutions run by minority communities. This came barely a day after representatives from Christian and Muslim organisations met Vijay at the state secretariat.

The delegation comprising bishops discussed matters pertaining to minorities.

Amid growing pressure by the opposition, the Centre agreed to send this bill to a joint parliamentary committee.

Let's take a look at how this bill would impact NGOs.

The government has proposed the creation of a 'designated authority' who can take over control of assets of any NGO whose registration has expired or has been cancelled.

Even institutions built with partial foreign funds such as schools and hospitals could be taken over.

This is not all. Such seized assets can be sold off, proceeds of which will go to the central government.

Additionally, state governments have to seek Centre’s permission before starting any probe related to this act.

Now, this is not the only time when Vijay has taken on BJP's policies.

A day earlier, the Tamil Nadu assembly passed another resolution seeking the abolition of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, or NEET, for undergraduate medical admissions.

It also requested the BJP-led centre to allow states to grant medical admissions based solely on class 12 exam scores, citing financial and psychological pressure on families.

Earlier in the day, the TVK chief also took a firm stance on the delimitation issue.

His government tabled a resolution, requesting the centre to keep the existing Lok Sabha strength at 543.

Vijay also demanded immediate implementation of 33% reservation for women in the parliament and state assemblies, based on their current strength.

The TVK chief highlighted that more women had voted than men in the last assembly elections.

Interestingly, this resolution also got the backing of the DMK, after which it was unanimously adopted by the house.

From the Cauvery water dispute to other issues, it is increasingly clear that Vijay is trying to emerge as a key challenger to BJP, and in turn, further bolster his party's standing in Tamil Nadu.