Anti-conversion bill: Will BJP be third time lucky?

The “Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025” has been reintroduced in the Rajasthan Assembly and will be taken up for debate on Tuesday. After discussion, it may be put to a vote.

This is the third attempt to legislate on the issue, as similar bills were brought in 2006 and 2008 during Vasundhara Raje’s government but could not become law. It will also depend on the opposition Congress party as to how it takes the bill and what are its views on this rather contentious bill.

Provisions of the bill

The new draft carries strict provisions to check unlawful conversions. It prescribes life imprisonment for repeat offenders and provides for twenty years to life imprisonment with fines up to twenty-five lakh rupees for mass conversions carried out through coercion or inducement. Those found guilty of taking foreign or unauthorized funds for conversions may face ten to twenty years in jail along with a fine of up to twenty lakh rupees. The bill also makes it clear that returning to one’s ancestral faith, commonly referred to as “ghar wapsi,” will not be treated as religious conversion.

Process for voluntary conversion

The bill lays down an approval process for those wishing to convert voluntarily. Anyone seeking to change religion will have to submit a declaration ninety days in advance to the District Collector or Additional District Magistrate.

The religious leader performing the conversion will also be required to inform the magistrate two months beforehand. The declaration will be displayed publicly on the notice board of the district office, and objections, if any, will be heard before permission is granted.

Lessons from the past?

Rajasthan has seen two earlier attempts to pass such a law. In 2006, the Assembly passed the bill, but it was returned with suggestions for changes. In 2008, the Assembly again cleared a new version, but Governor S.K. Singh refused to give his assent. As a result, despite being passed twice in the House, the law could not come into force.

The road ahead

With the bill once again before the Assembly, the debate on Tuesday will decide whether Rajasthan finally enacts an anti-conversion law. The BJP is hopeful of success this time, but the arguments presented by the Congress will play an important role in shaping the final outcome. Sixteen years after the last attempt, all eyes are on whether the bill will finally pass or face another roadblock.

Several other states in India already have laws of this nature in place. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh have enacted anti-conversion legislations with provisions to regulate religious conversions and impose penalties for coercion, inducement, or fraudulent means.