Offences related to religious conversion domain of states: MHA

NEW DELHI: The government today said that offences related to religious conversion were primarily the concern of the state governments and actions are being taken as per the law whenever instances of violations come to light.

Noting that there have been media reports from time to time regarding allegations of religious conversions, Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju, told Lok Sabha that, "Public order and police are state subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution and, hence, prevention, detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of offences related to religious conversions are primarily the concern of the state governments and Union Territory administrations."

Responding to a written question, Rijiju said that action is taken as per existing laws by law enforcement agencies whenever instances of violations come to notice, but no centralised data is maintained pertaining to religious conversions.

He said that some state governments have enacted laws providing for prohibition of conversion through use of force, inducements or by fraudulent means.

Supreme Court has upheld that such state Acts fall within the purview of Entry-I of the List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, he said.