The Maharashtra government has approved the Anti-Conversion (Anti-Religious Conversion) Bill at a cabinet meeting. The Bill is expected to be introduced in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council soon, Fisheries and Ports Development Minister Nitesh Rane said here on Thursday.
Speaking to media persons, Nitesh Rane said there has been a long-standing demand in Maharashtra for such a law to prevent religious conversions from several Hindutva organisations and activists who have been campaigning for several years for such a law.
“During assembly elections, we had said that we would bring a strong anti-conversion law in Maharashtra, or an anti-Love Jihad law, after our government comes to power. This promise was given by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Today, I am deeply satisfied that a strong anti-conversion law has been passed by the cabinet in Maharashtra. This Bill has been approved under the ‘Religion Independence Act 2026’. Now a Government Resolution (GR) will be out soon,” Rane said.
“A very effective anti-conversion law will be implemented in Maharashtra. I sincerely thank Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar for this law. Many activists and Hindutva organisations had taken out marches to get this law implemented. Many people fought for the implementation of this law. Now, this law will be implemented soon,” Rane said, adding that the law will be more effective than similar laws in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
Under the Anti-Conversion (Anti-Religious Conversion) Bill, forcibly converting someone or inducing anybody to convert to another religion by luring or using temptation will be treated as a non-bailable offence, Rane said, adding that technical details of the law will be made public shortly.
The Maharashtra government previously expressed its plan to introduce an anti-conversion law. The government had formed a high-level committee to study the legal issues related to a possible law targeting forced conversions and cases often referred to as “love jihad”.
Rane also welcomed a recent verdict of the Bombay High Court regarding namaz on the roads. “The verdict should be welcomed. There are enough mosques and places for offering namaz. So, there is no need to pray on streets or airports. Why insist on doing it everywhere? If namaz has to be offered on streets and airports, what is the need of mosques? Those spaces should be given to schools and other institutions instead,” Rane said.