Maharashtra’s proposed anti-conversion law sparks outrage from church leaders, activists, warning it violates India’s constitution, threatens religious freedom.
Newsroom (20/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) Church leaders and activists have slammed plans by India’s Maharashtra state to introduce a stringent anti-conversion law in its December legislative session, warning it threatens constitutional freedoms and could fuel religious tensions.
Auxiliary Bishop Savio Fernandes of Bombay condemned the proposal, arguing it violates India’s constitutional guarantee of “freedom of conscience and the right to profess, practice, and propagate one’s religion, including voluntary conversion.” Speaking from the state’s coastal capital, he said the law would erode fundamental rights, turning personal faith into a state-controlled matter. “Punishing individuals for freely changing their faith undermines the very essence of citizenship,” Fernandes told reporters.
The plan, announced by Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Home Pankaj Bhoyar on July 14, involves a panel led by the state’s Director General of Police drafting a law “stricter than those in 12 other states.” Bhoyar confirmed it would be tabled in December, raising alarm among religious and civil rights groups.
Catholic theologian Virginia Saldanha called the legislation a tool to “harass people who genuinely wish to convert” and demonize minority faiths. “Maharashtra has been a beacon of religious harmony. This law risks fracturing that unity,” she said, urging the state to preserve its pluralistic legacy.
Irfan Engineer, secretary of Mumbai’s Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, warned the law could empower police and affiliates of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition to target minorities. “This government opposes interfaith marriages and undermines the freedom to choose one’s faith,” he said, pointing to the BJP’s pro-Hindu stance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rights activist and journalist John Dayal highlighted the broader implications, noting that similar laws in 12 of India’s 28 states have already drawn international criticism. “The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has flagged these laws for violating human rights standards,” Dayal said. He warned the Maharashtra law could criminalize genuine conversions, target interfaith unions, and embolden vigilante groups.
Godfrey Pimenta, a lawyer with the Watchdog Foundation, labeled the proposal “draconian,” arguing it threatens democracy by regulating personal conscience. “This demands robust public debate and constitutional scrutiny,” he said, calling for resistance to prevent vigilantism and protect individual rights.
Christians make up less than 1% of Maharashtra’s 126.5 million people, with roughly 500,000 Catholics under the Bombay Archdiocese. Nationally, Christians account for 2.3% of India’s 1.4 billion population, making such laws a significant concern for the minority community.
As Maharashtra braces for a contentious legislative session, critics urge the state to reconsider a law they fear could deepen social divides and erode democratic values.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
Related Images:
