Several churches in and around Mumbai have begun requiring worshippers to sign written declarations stating they attended services of their own free will, a precaution driven by anxiety over Maharashtra’s newly enacted anti-conversion law. The forms, which some visitors supplement with ID numbers, are not official government documents but are retained by congregations to protect organizers against potential accusations of illegal conversion.
The practice started in late August, shortly before the law took effect in the Indian state where Mumbai serves as the capital. The legislation bans religious conversions carried out through force, fraud, coercion, or inducement. It also mandates that individuals wishing to convert voluntarily must notify authorities in advance. Violations can result in prison sentences of up to seven years, escalating to a decade for repeat offenses.
While the Maharashtra government argues the law safeguards socially and economically vulnerable populations from being deceived into changing their faith, critics contend that its broad definitions and harsh penalties risk involving the state in deeply personal decisions regarding belief. The government did not respond to repeated requests for comment from the BBC.
Anxiety is particularly acute among Christian communities, who face long-standing allegations from right-wing groups that they coerce or entice people into conversion through material benefits—a claim often linked to broader conspiracy theories such as “love jihad.” Devdan Tribhuvan, a legal aid activist in the Mumbai suburb of Vasai, reported a surge in inquiries from individuals concerned about the legality of simple prayer gatherings rather than formal court cases.
Tribhuvan noted that some worshipers have been confronted by strangers inside churches who question whether they were offered money or other incentives to attend. This sentiment was reflected in a July investigation by The Indian Express, which documented five disruptions of Christian prayer meetings in the Mumbai area between April and July, leading to nine police cases.
Maharashtra joins more than a dozen other Indian states in enacting restrictions on religious conversion. These laws, many of which are currently being challenged in the Supreme Court, have expanded significantly in recent years, particularly in regions governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
Legal experts argue the law’s definition of “allurement” is excessively vague. Samsuddin Tamboli of the Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal and retired Bombay High Court judge Abhay Thipsay have both criticized the inclusion of factors such as employment, free education, promises of marriage, improved lifestyle, and even “divine healing” as potential inducements. Thipsay questioned why a conscious choice to convert after receiving a benefit should be criminalized.
The legislation also permits relatives to file police complaints regarding alleged unlawful conversions, placing the burden on the accused to prove the conversion was legitimate. Lara Jesani, a lawyer representing interfaith couples, expressed concern that this provision could be weaponized against couples, even those not intending to convert, allowing families or nationalist groups to interfere with weddings.
Despite government assurances that the law does not infringe on the right to change religion, Tribhuvan emphasized the lingering fear among believers. He highlighted the tension in small, informal prayer groups where non-Christians might wish to join, questioning where the line is drawn between free choice and illegal conversion. As Thipsay observed, if adults have the right to vote and marry whom they choose, the law raises fundamental questions about their autonomy to decide on matters of faith.
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