Rajasthan's Strict Anti-Conversion Bill Passed Amidst Opposition Uproar

The Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday passed a controversial bill targeting mass and fraudulent religious conversions, amidst protests from opposition legislators. The Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Bill, 2025, proposes 20 years to life imprisonment for mass conversions and up to 14 years for deceitful conversion methods.

State Home Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham cited Article 25 of the Constitution, asserting it supports religious freedom but condemns conversions under deceit, inducement, or fraud. The bill aims to safeguard social harmony by imposing stringent penalties and heavy fines on those found guilty of such practices.

Receiving illicit funds for conversion activities carries harsh penalties, including lengthy imprisonment and steep fines. The bill also mandates pre-conversion notifications and tackles property confiscation and annulments for forced conversions, aligning Rajasthan with similar measures in other Indian states.

(With inputs from agencies.)