Bill to curb forced religious conversions tabled in Chhattisgarh Assembly

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government on Thursday tabled a bill in the state assembly aimed at preventing religious conversions carried out through force, inducement, fraud or misrepresentation.

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who also holds the Home portfolio, tabled the Chhattisgarh Dharm Swatantraya Vidheyak, 2026 (Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026), in the House.

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A discussion on the bill will be held later.

The proposed legislation, which seeks to effectively curb conversion from one faith to another through force, allurement, undue influence or false representation, was approved in the state cabinet last week.

After the cabinet clearance last week, Sharma had told reporters that the bill expands upon provisions that have existed since 1968 by incorporating newer dimensions of inducement.

He noted that allurement could take various forms, including digital and economic means, while threats could also be physical or indirect.

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A structured legal framework has been designed to ensure that people's constitutional freedom is not affected, while preventing situations that could lead to social discord, the deputy CM said.

Currently, the Chhattisgarh Dharm Swatantraya Adhiniyam (Freedom of Religion Act), 1968, is in force in the state. It was adopted from Madhya Pradesh after Chhattisgarh was carved out of it in 2000.