The Chhattisgarh government has introduced a bill in the state assembly to prevent religious conversions carried out through force, inducement, fraud, or misrepresentation. The bill, titled the Chhattisgarh Dharm Swatantraya Vidheyak, 2026 (Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026), aims to curb conversions achieved through coercion or undue influence.
The Chhattisgarh government has introduced a bill aimed at preventing religious conversions through force, inducement, or misrepresentation, sparking opposition and debate in the state assembly.
The Maharashtra assembly has passed the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, introducing strict measures to prevent religious conversions through coercion, fraud, or marriage, sparking debate over constitutional rights and religious freedom.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced that his government will introduce a provision for the death penalty for religious conversion of girls, mirroring the punishment for rape of minors. This announcement was made at a Women's Day event in Bhopal, where the CM also digitally transferred financial assistance to beneficiaries of various schemes. Yadav stated that the government is committed to protecting and respecting women and will take strict action against those involved in illegal conversions.
Police in Mirzapur have arrested two more individuals, including a wanted suspect with a reward, in connection with an illegal religious conversion racket allegedly operating under the guise of gymnasiums. This brings the total number of arrests in the case to ten.
The Maharashtra government has introduced the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, which aims to prohibit religious conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, or marriage, with stringent penalties for violations.
A chargesheet has been filed against a former King George's Medical University resident and three others for the alleged sexual exploitation and religious conversion of a female doctor in Lucknow.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged a protest in Lucknow alleging illegal religious conversion activities at King George's Medical University (KGMU), following the arrest of a KGMU intern in a rape and blackmail case. The VHP demanded swift action against those involved, claiming an organized attempt at religious conversion.
Forced religious conversion may pose a danger to national security and impinge on the religious freedom of citizens, the top court had said recently and asked the Centre to step in and make sincere efforts to tackle the "very serious" issue.
The alleged mastermind of an organized gang involved in sexual exploitation, religious conversion, and blackmailing in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district was arrested at Delhi's IGI airport while attempting to flee abroad.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed concerns about population imbalance, citing religious conversion, infiltration, and low birth rates as key factors. He advocated for 'ghar wapasi' and vigilance against infiltrators, while also emphasizing the importance of family and employment.
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and 12 states on a PIL challenging the validity of their anti-conversion laws. The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) filed the PIL, seeking a stay on the operation of these laws.
The Supreme Court on Monday said that it will hear on March 17 pleas dealing with two separate issues of alleged 'fraudulent conversions' and challenge to various state laws on religious conversions due to interfaith marriages respectively.
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that religious conversions undertaken solely to avail reservation benefits without genuine belief in the adopted religion amount to "fraud on the Constitution". The court upheld a Madras High Court decision denying a scheduled caste certificate to a woman who converted to Christianity but later claimed to be a Hindu to secure employment benefits.
While there is no mention of how many people have been converted, local BJP leader Deepak Sharma claimed that more than 100 people living from Mangatapuram Colony had allegedly been converted to Christianity.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the central government of providing 'VIP treatment' to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, criticising perceived double standards in dealing with crime.
Noida Police have suspended two officers for failing to include key legal provisions in a rape case FIR, including those related to unlawful religious conversion and the SC/ST Act.
The Madhya Pradesh cabinet on Saturday approved the Religious Freedom Bill 2020, which provides for prison term of up to 10 years and fine of Rs 1 lakh for conversion through marriage or by any other fraudulent means, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra said.
Terming forced religious conversion a "very serious" issue, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to step in and make sincere efforts to check the practice.
The Bombay High Court has criticised the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for failing to process the exit permit of a US national facing religious conversion charges, despite a court order allowing him to travel.
The students were present for the examination in the school when the incident occurred.
The Supreme Court on Monday said it would hear on February 3 a batch of pleas challenging controversial state laws regulating religious conversions due to interfaith marriages.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the central government of providing special treatment to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is accused in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case. Mann's criticism comes after Union Minister Amit Shah spoke about gang activities in Punjab.
The Supreme Court has declined to urgently hear pleas seeking a stay on anti-conversion laws enacted by several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. The matter is now scheduled for hearing in December.
The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Centre and others on a plea seeking direction to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversion by "intimidation" and through "gifts and monetary benefits".
The Allahabad High Court has ruled that claiming a particular religion is the 'only true religion' is inappropriate in a secular country like India and could violate laws against disparaging other faiths. The court dismissed a petition filed by a Reverend Father, stating that such claims could fall under Section 295A of the IPC, which addresses acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
"There are people who get converted and do not disclose that they have converted. They take double benefits," RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said at a press conference."
Indulging in religious conversion with inducement or under pressure is an "unpardonable offence", the state home minister Araga Jnanendra said adding, it may also lead to disturbance of peace in the society.
A bench of Justices R F Nariman, B R Gavai and Hrishikesh Roy told senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayana, appearing for petitioner advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, "What kind of writ petition is this under Article 32. We will impose a heavy cost on you. You argue on your own risk."
The Congress party has directed its MPs to attend Parliament and protest against the FCRA Amendment Bill, describing it as unconstitutional and a threat to minority organisations. The government asserts the bill aims to enhance transparency and prevent misuse of foreign funds.
Film director Sanoj Mishra has alleged that the marriage of actress Monalisa Bhonsle to a Muslim man is a case of 'love jihad' and plans to take the matter to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister.
Film director Sanoj Mishra met the family of Monalisa Bhonsle, the viral Kumbh girl who recently married a Muslim man, alleging 'love jihad' and promising to take the matter to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister.
The trailer of The Kerala Story 2 has triggered widespread conversation with its intense and controversial messaging of religious conversion. Read reactions and key takeaways from the debate.
The state assembly had passed the Haryana Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill in March this year.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for alleging his involvement in the attack on nuns in Chhattisgarh, calling the remarks ignorant and excessive.
When Bangalore-based Arjun* agreed to an arranged marriage, he believed he had found the perfect balance between tradition and modernity. But a quiet conflict over religion at home soon began to test the relationship.
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that individuals converting from Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism cannot retain Scheduled Caste status, reinforcing existing constitutional provisions.
The Maharashtra government plans to introduce a stringent anti-conversion law in the winter session of the legislature, with provisions stricter than those in other states.
Uttar Pradesh Police has busted an inter-state religious conversion racket and arrested four individuals, including a madrasa cleric, officials said in Bareilly on Wednesday.
Lok Sabha takes up FCRA Amendment Bill amid opposition protests.
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