Chhattisgarh to bring in law to stop ‘illegal conversions’

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh govt plans to bring in a legislation to stop “illegal religious conversion” in the state.During a debate on budgetary demands in the assembly on Wed, minister for religious trusts and endowments Brijmohan Agrawal said many forces were “at work to alter the demography of Chhattisgarh”. In order to prevent these activities, an anti-conversion bill, titled ‘Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill’, would be introduced during the current session itself, he announced.

Around a fortnight ago, CM Vishnu Deo Sal had alleged that Christian missionaries were carrying out conversion under the garb of healthcare and education. Speaking at a school event, Sai had said the missionaries were “very active” in the state and were “dominating” the two sectors, resulting in a rise in religious conversion. “All this will stop soon, and Hindutva will gain in strength,” he had said.

BJP has repeatedly declared that it will put an end to conversion by force or allurement. In Nov 2023, a week before the second phase of voting in the assembly polls, home minister Amit Shah had alleged that there was “unfettered religious conversion of tribals in Congress rule”. “We will not allow anyone to convert tribals without their consent,” Shah had said at a Jashpur rally.

This article is originally published on https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/raipur/chhattisgarh-to-bring-in-law-to-stop-illegal-conversions/articleshow/107734059.cms