Anti-conversion bill not against particular religion: CM Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill presented by the BJP-led Maha Yuti government does not single out or discriminate against any particular community, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted even as the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has supported the proposed enactment.

The Maharashtra Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam, 2026 (Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026) was introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly last week.

“Maharashtra is not the first State to come out with such a law,” the Chief Minister, who is also the state Home and Law & Judiciary Minister, told the Legislative Assembly referring to States like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand that have enacted similar laws to regulate religious conversions.

“There have been many cases where women were lured, they eloped, and were abandoned after marriage. In such a situation, it raises the question of their child from such a relationship. It complicates their life. The Bill is trying to find solutions to such problems,” he said, adding that the proposed enactment aims to curb fraudulent religious conversions, especially those linked to coercion, inducement and marriage, and does not single out or discriminate against any particular community.

According to the Chief Minister, disputes related to religious conversion and marriages have often led to law and order situations in the state.

According to him, 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.

At the time of going to Press, discussions on the bill were still ongoing.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena group leader Bhakar Jadhav supported the bill. “I stand to support this bill. There is no mention of any religion in it. Therefore, there is no reason to oppose this law. We only hope that this law should not be used to target anyone,” said Jadhav, one of the seniormost legislators and former minister.

Jadhav also referred to Babasaheb Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism in 1956 as an example of a voluntary religious change carried out without coercion.

“The Bill presented by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is detailed and aims to establish transparency and the rule of law. Similar laws are already in effect in several other states, and it is necessary for Maharashtra to have one as well,” he said.

Senior Congress leader and former minister Aslam Shaikh and Samajwadi Party MLA Raees Shaikh demanded that this bill be sent to a joint parliamentary committee for further discussions.

"The bill clearly infringes upon the freedom of marriage guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. If the government claims that a large number of religious conversions are taking place in the state, it should present the relevant data," said Shaikh.

Meanwhile, NCP (SP) MLA and former minister Jitendra Awhad said that forced conversions should not be allowed, however, expressed concern that the Bill might be used to promote the dominance of a particular ideology under the guise of protecting religious freedom.