Mumbai Meet Pushes Back Against Anti-Conversion Law
Mumbai: The Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS) intensified its opposition to the Maharashtra “Freedom of Religion” (Anti-Conversion) Bill with a public meeting in Borivali today, renewing its charge that the proposed law violates constitutional guarantees and threatens to criminalise long-standing community service by Christian institutions. More than 200 people attended the programme at St. Paul VI Hall in IC Colony, part of a sustained campaign urging the Chief Minister of Maharashtra to withdraw the draft legislation.
Speakers argued that Catholic institutions have for decades operated schools, hospitals, shelters and relief programmes without discrimination, and that the bill—framed as a measure against forced conversions—could expose routine charitable acts to suspicion, police scrutiny and politically motivated complaints. Participants warned that terms such as “conversion through inducement” remain undefined in the draft, creating scope for misinterpretation and selective enforcement.
Also read: Article 25 at Risk? Catholics Rally Against Maharashtra Bill
At the meeting, community representatives questioned the need for a new law when existing provisions already criminalise fraud and coercion. They said the bill risks encouraging surveillance of minority communities and giving cover to groups inclined to target church personnel, charities and interfaith families. Several participants echoed concerns that states with similar laws have seen incidents of harassment and intimidation against Christians and Muslims.
Speakers also highlighted what they describe as procedural barriers for individuals seeking to change their faith voluntarily. They objected to provisions that could criminalise personal choice, arguing that Articles 21 and 25 of the Constitution protect both the freedom of conscience and personal liberty, including the right to adopt or reject any belief system. The gathering maintained that the burden of proof in cases of alleged forced conversion must rest with the complainant, and that only the affected individual—or the parents in the case of a minor—should have standing to file a complaint. Third-party complaints, they said, have led to abuses in states such as Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh, and must not be permitted under the new legislation.
The community also expressed alarm over clauses that could affect interfaith marriages. Speakers referred to the Supreme Court’s consistent affirmation of the rights of consenting adults to marry across faith lines, and said the bill could be used to interfere with such unions or to criminalise voluntary religious declarations made in the course of marriage.
Bishop Dominic Savio Fernandes, Fr. Henry D’Souza—Parish Priest and Spiritual Advisor to the Bombay Catholic Sabha’s IC Church unit—Bombay Catholic Sabha president Norbert Mendonca, and spokesperson Dolphy D’Souza addressed the audience, reiterating that the proposed law is inconsistent with India’s secular framework and risks deepening mistrust between communities.
The Borivali meeting was organised by the Bombay Catholic Sabha unit of IC Church and is part of a broader mobilisation that includes upcoming public events on 26 November (Constitution Day) in Goregaon, 30 November in Bandra, and 7 December in Orlem and Kurla. Organisers confirmed that a memorandum will be submitted to the Chief Minister and the two Deputy Chief Ministers, urging them not to proceed with the legislation. Participants said they would continue spreading awareness about the implications of the bill, insisting that “silence fuels oppression” and that public pressure remains necessary to safeguard communal harmony.
– global bihari bureau
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