Mumbai: The Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS) has asked its members to gather for prayers outside churches on Sunday morning to express the community's opposition to the proposed 'Freedom of Religion’ Bill scheduled to be introduced in the forthcoming winter session of the state assembly at Nagpur.
The BCS alleged that the bill, though intended to prevent forced conversions, threatens to undermine the foundations of compassion, service, and fraternity that define society. The organisation said that faith-based groups, particularly those led by the Catholic Church, have been pillars of humanitarian outreach across the state.
These institutions have selflessly served the poor, the sick, the homeless, and the marginalised, offering food, shelter, education, and medical care without discrimination. Their acts of mercy are inspired by faith but never imposed upon others, said BCS.
The organisation added that the Catholic Church rejects forced conversions as invalid and endorses the view that religious conversion is a free and conscious act of faith, never achieved through coercion. India already has sufficient legal provisions to address coercion and fraud and the state does not need laws that can be misused to suppress compassion and service, the organisation said.
Stating that in other states, similar laws have been weaponised by hostile groups, the group expressed worries that the proposed bill could criminalise these acts of kindness and opened the door to misinterpretation and malicious targeting of religious minorities, where every gesture of compassion could be falsely portrayed as an attempt at religious conversion.
The ultimate victims will be the poor who rely on these voluntary services for their most basic needs, the organisation said.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
