Mumbai, March 17: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the state government’s introduction of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill on Monday. This legislation aims to curb illegal conversions in the state.
Fadnavis stated that the bill was introduced in response to numerous cases where women were allegedly trapped in relationships, married, and subsequently abandoned.
He explained to reporters that many instances have emerged where women were lured away and left after marriage. This situation jeopardizes their children’s futures and complicates their lives. The bill seeks to address these issues.
However, he did not provide any statistics to support his claims.
Fadnavis remarked that if opposition parties had read the bill carefully, they would realize it does not target any specific community. Instead, it aims to prevent forced conversions through coercion, pressure, or inducement.
He further accused the opposition of politicizing the issue for their vote bank. “I assure you that after reading the bill thoroughly, the opposition will not raise objections,” he stated.
The Chief Minister noted that Maharashtra is not the first state to propose such a law, as several other states have already enacted similar legislation to combat illegal conversions.
On March 13, the state government introduced the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, in the state assembly. The bill aims to prohibit illegal conversions carried out through force, pressure, inducement, misrepresentation, or other deceptive means.
Maharashtra’s Home State Minister Pankaj Bhoyar presented the bill, which seeks to protect the right to freedom of religion, regulate conversions, and establish penalties for cases of illegal conversions.
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