Maharashtra passes the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, drawing criticism from Christian groups over potential misuse against minorities and interfaith couples.
Newsroom (17/03/2026 Gaudium Press) In a move that has ignited fierce debate across India, the Maharashtra state assembly on March 16 passed the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, a sweeping anti-conversion law aimed at curbing what the government describes as forced or fraudulent religious conversions. The legislation, passed despite strong protests from opposition parties and Christian organizations, positions Maharashtra to become the 13th Indian state with such a law once it clears the state’s Legislative Council and secures the governor’s assent.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which commands a majority in the state assembly, championed the bill. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted during the debate that the legislation seeks to protect citizens from religious coercion and fraud, particularly in the context of interfaith marriages. “This bill is meant to prohibit religious conversions by force, fraud, coercion, inducement, or misrepresentation,” Fadnavis declared, adding that Maharashtra must take a “decisive step” to preserve social harmony.
Under the new bill, forced or fraudulent conversions tied to marriage could draw up to seven years in prison and a fine of 100,000 rupees (US$1,080). For offenses involving a minor, woman, or socially disadvantaged person—including members of Dalit or tribal communities—the penalties increase fivefold. Repeat offenders could face 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 700,000 rupees.
Deepening Minority Concerns
The law has sparked a wave of concern among Christian and Muslim groups who fear it will be wielded as a weapon of harassment. The Bombay Archdiocese and more than 30 civic organizations publicly opposed the legislation before its passage, calling it an assault on India’s constitutional guarantees of religious freedom.
“The bill increasingly weaponizes law to make life harsher for interfaith couples and minorities,” said senior journalist and All India Catholic Union spokesperson John Dayal. He warned that because the legislation allows “anyone to file a fictitious complaint,” it could expose couples to “violent reactions from parents, relatives, and neighbors.”
Dayal also criticized the government for failing to provide statistical or empirical evidence of a surge in religious conversions or interfaith marriages. “There is no extraordinary rise that justifies such harsh punitive measures,” he argued. “Existing laws already punish cases of coercion or fraud if they occur. This new bill seems designed more to intimidate than to protect.”
He added that conversions to Hinduism—often seen as “ghar wapsi,” or homecoming—are legitimized by the state even when inducements are involved, revealing what he described as “a sectarian mindset” behind the legislation.
Legal and Ethical Flashpoints
Christian lawyer Godfrey Pimenta, founder of the Watchdog Foundation, highlighted one of the bill’s most contentious provisions: the requirement for individuals to seek prior permission or give 60 days’ advance notice before conversion. “This violates the fundamental right to privacy and freedom of conscience guaranteed under the Indian Constitution,” Pimenta said.
He further warned that the bill’s broad and undefined language on “inducement” could criminalize charitable activities traditionally carried out by Christian institutions—such as education, healthcare, or humanitarian aid—if these are perceived as influencing faith.
Additionally, making the alleged offences non-bailable gives police sweeping powers to detain individuals based on complaints alone, Pimenta noted, raising the likelihood of frivolous or politically motivated charges in a polarized environment.
Polarization and Political Implications
Groups such as the Bombay Catholic Sabha also condemned the bill as “draconian.” Its spokesperson, Dolphy Dsouza, warned that these clauses could easily be “misused against minorities, women, and interfaith marriages,” predicting the legislation will polarize society further.
Opposition parties have accused the BJP government of using religious legislation to consolidate its Hindu nationalist base ahead of upcoming elections. They argue that in the absence of credible evidence of large-scale forced conversions, the anti-conversion narrative serves a political, rather than social, purpose.
As Maharashtra’s Legislative Council prepares to deliberate on the bill, the debate has already transcended state boundaries—reigniting the national conversation about religious identity, personal freedom, and the role of the state in private belief. Whether the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026 becomes law or not, it has already drawn clear battle lines between advocates of security and defenders of liberty in one of India’s most politically charged arenas.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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