Fadnavis defends Maharashtra anti-conversion bill, says law targets fraud
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Devendra Fadnavis on Monday defended the Maharashtra government’s proposed Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, saying the legislation is aimed at preventing fraudulent or coercive religious conversions and does not target any particular community.
The Chief Minister said the bill was prompted by cases where women were allegedly lured into relationships, married, and later abandoned, creating legal and personal complications for them and their children. According to him, the legislation seeks to close loopholes used in such situations and protect vulnerable individuals rather than restrict genuine religious choice.
Under the proposed law, individuals or institutions planning a religious conversion must give authorities a 60-day advance notice. The details would be publicly displayed to allow objections, and relatives would be permitted to file complaints if unlawful conversion is suspected. Police would also be required to register FIRs in such cases.
Fadnavis rejected criticism that the legislation discriminates against any community, accusing Opposition parties of politicising the issue for electoral gain. He said critics should study the provisions before opposing them.
The bill proposes penalties of up to seven years’ imprisonment and fines for unlawful conversions, with stricter penalties for cases involving minors, women, or members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The Chief Minister noted that states including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Uttarakhand have enacted similar laws regulating religious conversions.
The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026 — often referred to in public debate as the anti-conversion bill — was recently introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly with the stated aim of preventing conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, allurement, misrepresentation, or marriage rather than free choice.
The legislation would make unlawful conversion a cognisable, non-bailable offence punishable with imprisonment of up to seven years and fines. It also shifts the burden of proof to the person accused of facilitating an unlawful conversion, allows relatives to file complaints, and includes provisions concerning the religious identity of children born from marriages deemed to involve unlawful conversion.