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Freedom of Religion: Causes of Religious Conversions

The document discusses freedom of religion in India and anti-conversion laws. It notes that freedom of religion is considered a basic human right globally and is protected under the Indian constitution. However, large numbers of forced religious conversions in India led states to introduce anti-conversion laws to prevent such practices through coercion or inducements. The laws in Madhya Pradesh, for example, require individuals to get state permission before converting religions and impose penalties like imprisonment for those who convert or attempt to convert others without consent or through fraudulent means. The laws aim to regulate rather than ban religious conversions.

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43 views2 pages

Freedom of Religion: Causes of Religious Conversions

The document discusses freedom of religion in India and anti-conversion laws. It notes that freedom of religion is considered a basic human right globally and is protected under the Indian constitution. However, large numbers of forced religious conversions in India led states to introduce anti-conversion laws to prevent such practices through coercion or inducements. The laws in Madhya Pradesh, for example, require individuals to get state permission before converting religions and impose penalties like imprisonment for those who convert or attempt to convert others without consent or through fraudulent means. The laws aim to regulate rather than ban religious conversions.

Uploaded by

kukka
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© © All Rights Reserved
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FREEDOM OF RELIGION

Across the globe, freedom of religion and belief is considered to be a basic human right.
Freedom of religion and conscience is paramount to a democratic constitution. As we know
India is a country consisting of many religions and plays a vital role in an Indian’s life
subsequently has an impact on their lives and also the freedom has been consented in the
Indian constitutional protection. Article 25 to 28 states important constitutional provisions on
freedom of religion. Religion is an ephemeral issue in India.(Article 25 of the Indian
constitution gives an individual freedom of right to profess, practise and propagate Religion)
As we also know that secularism is the basic feature of our constitution, this ponder one to
think the constitutional validity of rule of regulating conversions. These laws are not
introduced to keep complete ban (do not put a blanket on religious conversions) on religious
conversion but aiming at regulating conversions. Various states in India has proposed anti-
conversion laws for preventing various religious conversions brought by coercion or
inducements.

Causes of religious conversions


 Voluntarily, due to changes in beliefs.
 Conversion for convenience.
 Marital conversion.
 Secondary conversion.
 Forced conversion i.e. by coercion, inducement.
In India, conversion for convenience is the most important cause for religious conversion.
Other types of conversion are prompted by some trivial reasons like for getting an admission
in an institution or for getting the benefits that a deprived classes gets. Lower castes (Hindu
dalits) are prompted more to change their religion who changes to escape from caste
discrimination.
India has witnessed large number of forced Religious conversion and still witnessing so many
so there was a need to introduce laws which gives punishment to forced conversions
otherwise these practices will go unnoticed and unpunished. Such type of forced conversions
are against the principles of basic human rights.

ANTI-CONVERSION LAWS IN MADHYA PRADESH


Madhya Pradesh was the second state to enact anti-conversion laws, The Madhya Pradesh
freedom of Religion act, 1968. The laws seek to prevent any person from converting or
attempting to convert, either directly or otherwise, another person through “forcible” or
“fraudulent” means, or by “allurement” or “inducement.” It imposes an obligation for an
individual to request for a permission from a state government to convert his religion and if
any individual didn’t take any permission and converts his religion he will be punished. The
difference between Orissa legislation and this legislation is the use of the word” allurement”
instead of the word allurement
which is defined under section 2(a) as an “offer of any temptation in the form of
(i) any gift or gratification, either in cash or kind;
(ii) grant of any material benefit, either monetary or otherwise
Section 3 of the Act states that: no person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly
or otherwise, any person from one religious faith to another by the use of force or by
allurement or by any fraudulent means nor shall any person abet any such conversion. The
crime is punishable with imprisonment up to one year and a fine up to 5000 and maybe
increased up to two years and 10,000 in case of a minor and a women. Under section 5 of the
Act, notice of the conversion must be given to the District Magistrate by the religious priest
or the person who converts any person “within seven days after the date of such ceremony.”

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