Mumbai, March 16: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday defended the proposed Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill 2026 in the state Assembly, asserting that the legislation aims to curb unlawful religious conversions and does not target any particular religion.
Speaking during a discussion on the bill, the Chief Minister said the proposed law would apply equally to all religions and has been introduced primarily to prevent conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, misrepresentation or inducement.
Chief Minister defends proposed legislation
The bill triggered a heated debate in the Assembly, with several opposition members strongly opposing it and alleging that the Bill is biased and infringes upon constitutional rights. However, Fadnavis maintained that the bill does not restrict an individual’s right to practise religion as guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution.
“The right to religion does not include the right to convert another person through coercion, misrepresentation, fraud or allurement,” he said, citing rulings of the Supreme Court to support the government’s position.
Fadnavis also said that marriages carried out solely for the purpose of unlawful religious conversion could be declared null and void by a court. He noted that Maharashtra is not the first state to introduce such legislation, pointing out that similar laws are already in force in several states including Odisha, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka and Jharkhand.
Government cites law and order concerns
According to the Chief Minister, disputes related to religious conversion and marriages have often led to law and order situations in the state. He said the current legal framework lacks specific provisions to address such issues and that the proposed legislation seeks to bring clarity and prevent conflicts between communities.
The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill proposes stringent penalties for unlawful religious conversions. It provides for imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh for conversions carried out on the pretext of marriage. Stricter punishments have also been proposed in cases involving women, minors and members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Opposition questions intent of the bill
Opposition leaders like MLA Aslam Shaikh, MLA Rais Shaikh and Jitendra Awhad, however, criticised the bill and questioned the government’s intent. Rais Shaikh alleged that the bill was one-sided and targeted a particular community.
He argued that the bill infringes upon the freedom of marriage guaranteed by the Constitution and demanded that the government present data to support its claims of widespread religious conversions. Shaikh also called for the bill to be referred to a joint select committee of both Houses for further scrutiny.
Aslam Shaikh also opposed the bill, raising concerns about the lack of clarity in certain provisions, including the definition of “allurement.” He questioned the need for the legislation, stating that a committee formed earlier by the Women and Child Development Department had reportedly not received complaints related to forced conversions.
Shaikh also sought the tabling of the committee’s report in the Assembly and raised concerns over a provision requiring individuals intending to convert to another religion to give a 60-day prior notice to authorities, asking whether the government would ensure their security.
Shiv Sena (UBT) backs the proposal
Interestingly, the bill received support from the Shiv Sena (UBT). Party MLA Bhaskar Jadhav said the proposed law aims to safeguard the right to religious freedom while preventing illegal conversions. He clarified that the legislation does not target any specific religion and is intended to curb unethical practices associated with forced or induced conversions.
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Jadhav also referred to B. R. Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism in 1956 as an example of a voluntary religious change carried out without coercion.
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