Allahabad High Court Raises Concerns Over Religious Conversions At Congregations

The Allahabad High Court has raised significant concerns regarding the ongoing trend of religious conversions during congregations, suggesting that allowing such activities to continue could eventually turn the country’s majority population into a minority.

A bench led by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal made this observation.

Insights:

The bench emphasized the need for an immediate cessation of these religious gatherings where conversions are taking place.

The court, led by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, emphasized the need to halt religious congregations that facilitate conversions in India. They warned that allowing such activities to continue could lead to the majority population becoming a minority over time.

The court highlighted that these conversions contravene Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which ensures the freedom of conscience and the right to profess, practice, and propagate religion but does not sanction religious conversion.

“Article 25 provides for Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion, but it does not provide for conversion from one faith to another. The word ‘Propagation’ means to promote, but it does not mean to convert any person from his religion to another religion,” the court clarified.

Furthermore, the bench noted an alarming increase in unlawful conversions, particularly among Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and other economically disadvantaged groups in Uttar Pradesh.

These observations were made during the rejection of a bail plea by an individual named Kailash, who is facing charges under Section 365 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 3/5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.

Accusers have accused Kailash of taking villagers to a social gathering in Delhi and converting them to Christianity.

The complaint against him alleges that he assured a woman that her mentally ill brother would receive treatment and return to his village within a week but instead facilitated his conversion to Christianity.

The First Information Report (FIR) indicates that Kailash has converted numerous individuals to Christianity.

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