Mumbai, March 16: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified on Monday that the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, is not aimed at any specific religion.
He emphasized that the bill is introduced to prevent conversions through coercion, deceit, or inducement. Fadnavis articulated the government’s stance during his address in the Assembly.
The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, was presented in the House on Friday by Minister of State for Home Pankaj Bhoyar. Its primary goal is to curb conversions that occur through temptation, fraud, or force.
Fadnavis noted that several states, including Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, and Rajasthan, already have anti-conversion laws in place. Maharashtra has decided to follow a similar path.
He stated that Article 25 of the Constitution grants every citizen the right to practice, profess, and propagate their religion. However, coercing someone through fraud, pressure, force, or inducement is wrong, making such a law necessary.
Furthermore, he mentioned that individuals wishing to convert voluntarily must adhere to legal procedures. They must inform authorized officials, who will verify that the conversion is indeed voluntary before granting approval.
According to the proposed law, conversions carried out through force, threats, undue influence, fraud, or inducement will be deemed illegal. Marriages conducted solely for the purpose of illegal conversions can be declared invalid by the court.
The bill proposes a penalty of up to seven years in prison and fines for those found guilty of illegal conversions. Stricter penalties are suggested for cases involving women, minors, or individuals from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Victims or their close relatives can file complaints, and in some cases, the police may also take action.
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