Chandrashekhar Bawankule (Credit -ANI)
Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule recently said in the assembly that a stringent law against religious conversions will be enacted in the state, adding that the government will investigate the illegal churches and demolish them in the next six months.
The revenue minister’s statement came after BJP MLA Anup Agrawal and others alleged people from tribal areas were being converted to Christianity through the illegally constructed churches, operating on foreign funds.
Bawankule also said that the unauthorised churches in Nandurbar district will be demolished if they are found illegal in the examination by a committee headed by a divisional commissioner.
Citing an RTI reply, BJP MLA Anup Agarwal raised a complaint about the forcible conversions of Bhil tribals in Nandurbar to Christianity by offering inducements, including medical aid. To curb religious conversions, the Maharashtra Government announced plans to enact a strong anti-conversion law.
Last year in November, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while campaigning for Maharashtra Assembly polls, said, a very stringent anti-conversion law to ensure zero religious conversions in the state will be enacted once the Mahayuti (BJP-alliance) comes to power.
In February 2025, the Maharashtra government formed a committee to look into ‘love jihad’ complaints and fraudulent or forced conversions, examine legal aspects, and make recommendations.
Maharashtra is not the first state to bring a law against religious conversion. 12 other states have already enacted the anti-conversion laws. Rajasthan became the 12th state to approve such a law. The other states that presently have anti-conversion laws are: Odisha, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh.
The Archdiocese of Bombay said the plan to enact an anti-conversion law violates the right to freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution. He said that the choice of religion is a fundamental right provided by Article 25 of the Constitution, which protects every citizen’s freedom of conscience, profession, practice, and propagation of faith.
Article 25 (1) in India’s Constitution states, “Subject to public order, morality, and health and the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion.”
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