Government preparing to introduce a nationwide anti-conversion bill

BJP government to introduce a nationwide anti-conversion bill in the next Parliament session, media sources say. The bill will prevent any kind of religious conversion.

Christians in the country are attacked by Hindu radicals and falsely accused of converting poor Hindus to Christianity. Now, the minorities fear that passing such a bill may worsen the situation.

According to 2011 census data, Christians only made 2.3% of the country's population. There is no much difference in the number when compared to the 1951 census data, the first census after independence, where Christians made 2.3% of the overall population.

In states like Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand where the anti-conversion law is enacted, minorities have suffered extensive abuse.

Radical nationalists justify assault and harassment by falsely accusing evangelists and Christian leaders of forcefully converting individuals to Christianity. Even the local police officials overlook the harassment because of the false accusation.

So far, no individual was guilty of forced conversions in the country. Some of the state-level anti-conversion laws have been in books since 1967.