A new anti-conversion law in Maharashtra has sparked fears among Christians. Some churches in and around India's financial capital, Mumbai, have begun asking worshippers to provide a written declaration stating, "I came here to pray of my own free will." Visitors are required to write down their names, sometimes add an ID card number, and sign to affirm that nobody forced or enticed them to attend church. The forms, a copy of which the BBC has seen, hold no official standing but are kept by churches in case a prayer meeting is challenged and its organisers are accused of attempting to convert attendees.
Context of the Law
The practice began at some churches in late August, just before a new law against religious conversion took effect in Maharashtra, where Mumbai is the capital. The law prohibits religious conversions that occur through force, fraud, coercion, or inducement. It also mandates that individuals wishing to convert voluntarily must notify authorities in advance. An unlawful conversion can lead to a prison sentence of up to seven years, increasing to ten years for repeat offences.
The Maharashtra government claims the law protects individuals, particularly those who are socially or economically vulnerable, from being coerced or deceived into changing their religion. However, critics argue that its broad definitions, severe penalties, and scrutiny of even voluntary conversions risk involving the state and police in one of the most private decisions a person can make.
Impact on Christian Communities
While the law applies to all religions, the anxiety is most palpable in places where minorities, especially Christians, worship. At the heart of the debate is a long-standing tension over allegations, often made by right-wing groups, that individuals are coerced or induced to change their religion for benefits.
Devdan Tribhuvan, a fourth-generation Christian from Vasai, a suburb of Mumbai, has witnessed this anxiety firsthand. He is part of an organization that provides legal aid to Christians in and around the city. Recently, he has seen an increase in people approaching him not about court cases, but with accounts of disrupted prayer meetings and inquiries about their freedoms.
Some individuals have reported strangers entering churches and questioning attendees:
“"What is your name? Why are you here? Has anyone offered you something?"
The questioning can become more pointed if a worshipper has a name that does not sound Christian, with inquiries such as:
“"Has anyone forced you to come? Has anyone offered you an inducement?"
Many who contact him are not seeking legal action; they want to know if simply gathering to pray could expose them to accusations of conversion. An investigation by The Indian Express documented five disruptions of Christian prayer meetings around Mumbai between April and July, resulting in nine police cases—seven against worshippers or prayer organizers, and two against members of the Hindu nationalist group Bajrang Dal. Police did not respond to detailed questions about the cases or actions taken.
