A senior Catholic leader in Karnataka has called on the government to repeal its anti-conversion law, warning that such legislation can restrict religious freedom and expose Christian minorities to unfair treatment.
Archbishop Peter Machado of Bengaluru said existing laws were already sufficient to deal with unlawful religious conversion. He questioned why additional legislation was necessary when, in his view, it could threaten individual rights and freedoms.
Speaking to UCA News on 9 November, Machado described anti-conversion legislation, officially known as Freedom of Religion Acts, as restrictive measures that could undermine personal liberty and human rights.
He also urged India's federal government to encourage states to protect religious freedom and adopt a more inclusive approach towards minority communities.
Machado has been actively campaigning against Karnataka's anti-conversion legislation.
On 14 September, he led a delegation that met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Bengaluru. The group called for the withdrawal of the law, arguing that it interferes with citizens' constitutional rights to profess, practise and share their religious beliefs.
The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act was introduced in September 2022 under the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.
Following the May 2023 state election, the BJP lost power and was replaced by a Congress-led administration.
During its election campaign, the Congress party had promised to reverse decisions made by the previous government that it considered unconstitutional. Its commitments included repealing the anti-conversion law.
However, the proposed repeal has faced opposition from Hindu organisations.
The Karnataka branch of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), also known as the World Hindu Council, has urged the state government to retain the legislation.
In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on 7 November, the organisation called on the government to reject demands for repeal.
The VHP argued that the legislation was not intended to target any particular religious community. Instead, it maintained that the law was necessary to prevent unlawful conversions and protect social and cultural stability.
The organisation's position was also reported by the Press Trust of India news agency.
Machado acknowledged that the VHP held a different view but maintained that the law should be withdrawn because of its impact on religious minorities.
Father Faustine Lucas Lobo, spokesperson for the Karnataka Catholic Bishops' Council, said the Church was simply asking the Congress government to honour its election commitment.
He told UCA News on 9 November that repealing the legislation had already been included in the party's election manifesto.
Under Karnataka's existing law, religious conversion offences can attract imprisonment ranging from three to 10 years, along with fines of up to 50,000 rupees. The offences are also classified as cognisable and non-bailable.
Similar anti-conversion laws have been introduced or proposed in several other Indian states. Many of the states with such legislation are governed by the BJP or other Hindu nationalist political groups.
Christian leaders have raised concerns that these laws are sometimes used by right-wing Hindu organisations to target religious minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims, through accusations of unlawful conversion.
Machado has also been involved in wider efforts to address violence against Christians in the country.
In 2021, he joined the National Solidarity Forum and the Evangelical Fellowship of India in approaching the country's Supreme Court. Their petition sought judicial intervention to address attacks against Christian communities.
The archbishop's latest appeal has renewed attention to the debate over religious freedom and anti-conversion legislation in India, as Christian leaders continue to call for stronger protections for minority communities and the right to practise their faith without fear.
Based on reporting by UCA News.
