The Allahabad High Court has raised concerns that the ongoing trend of religious conversions during congregations might lead to a scenario where the majority population in India could become a minority. This warning came from a bench headed by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, who emphasized the urgent need to halt such religious gatherings where conversions are occurring.
“If this process is allowed to be carried out, the majority population of this country would be in minority one day, and such religious congregations should be immediately stopped where the conversion is taking place and changing the religion of citizens of India,” the Court stated.
The Court highlighted that these conversions are contrary to Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of conscience and the right to profess, practice, and propagate religion, but does not endorse religious conversion. The bench clarified, “Article 25 of the Constitution of India 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 faith… The word ‘propagation’ means to promote, but it does not mean to convert any person from his religion to another religion.”
The bench also pointed out that unlawful conversions, particularly involving individuals from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and other economically disadvantaged groups, have been happening at an alarming rate across Uttar Pradesh.
These observations were made during the hearing of a bail application filed by an individual named Kailash, who was accused under Section 365 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 3/5(1) of the U.P. Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. Kailash was alleged to have taken villagers to a social gathering in Delhi where they were converted to Christianity.
The prosecution argued that Kailash had assured the informant that her mentally ill brother would receive treatment and return home within a week. Instead, he was converted to Christianity. The FIR filed against Kailash accused him of converting multiple individuals to Christianity.
In his defense, Kailash’s counsel contended that the informant’s brother was not converted but had merely attended a Christian faith gathering. The counsel also argued that statements from various individuals implicating Kailash should not be relied upon at this preliminary stage and noted that the organizer of the gathering, Sonu Pastor, had already been granted bail.
However, the Court denied Kailash’s bail application, citing the seriousness of the allegations. The Court took into account statements from the alleged victims and witnesses, which indicated that Kailash had been actively involved in taking people to religious congregations in New Delhi for the purpose of conversion.
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