Chhattisgarh Cabinet approves new Bill to curb forced conversion

Last year, Home Minister Vijay Sharma had said that the new law would be a ‘step ahead’ of other state-level laws.

The Chhattisgarh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the draft of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, which seeks to curb religious conversions carried out through force, inducement, fraudulent means, undue influence, or misrepresentation.

Last October, Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma had said the state government would bring a Bill against “illegal conversions” in the next Assembly session.

Speaking to reporters, Sharma said: “In the next session (of the Vidhan Sabha), we will bring an Act that I believe will be a step ahead of all the state-level (anti-conversion) laws, as we have made the draft after studying all these laws. Also, events like Changai Sabha (healing congregations)… which we all know is done to confuse people… must be stopped. There is a need for a provision in the law to deal with it, which will be done in this Act.”

At present, such cases are covered under the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 1968.

Allegations of “religious conversions” have been a polarising issue in the state. On the eve of Christmas in 2025, right-wing groups had destroyed Christmas decorations at a popular mall in Raipur during a call for Chhattisgarh Bandh to protest allegations of illegal conversions in Bastar.

On July 25 last year, two nuns from Kerala were accused of trafficking and illegally converting three women from Narayanpur district, and were arrested by the Durg Government Railway Police (GRP), triggering a political row. The women later said the nuns were just helping them to get jobs and that they were not converted by the nuns.

In January 2023, a mob of around 50 people allegedly vandalised a church in Narayanpur district and attacked police officials, including the Superintendent of Police. Following the incident, more than 100 people who had converted to Christianity were reportedly socially boycotted from their villages in Kanker, Kondagaon and Narayanpur, and had to live in a stadium in Narayanpur.

Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India. Expertise and Experience Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of: Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages. Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states. Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering: Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements. Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law. Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in: Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel. Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India. Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More

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The Chhattisgarh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the draft of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, which seeks to curb religious conversions carried out through force, inducement, fraudulent means, undue influence, or misrepresentation.

Last October, Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma had said the state government would bring a Bill against “illegal conversions” in the next Assembly session.

Speaking to reporters, Sharma said: “In the next session (of the Vidhan Sabha), we will bring an Act that I believe will be a step ahead of all the state-level (anti-conversion) laws, as we have made the draft after studying all these laws. Also, events like Changai Sabha (healing congregations)… which we all know is done to confuse people… must be stopped. There is a need for a provision in the law to deal with it, which will be done in this Act.”

At present, such cases are covered under the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 1968.

Allegations of “religious conversions” have been a polarising issue in the state. On the eve of Christmas in 2025, right-wing groups had destroyed Christmas decorations at a popular mall in Raipur during a call for Chhattisgarh Bandh to protest allegations of illegal conversions in Bastar.

On July 25 last year, two nuns from Kerala were accused of trafficking and illegally converting three women from Narayanpur district, and were arrested by the Durg Government Railway Police (GRP), triggering a political row. The women later said the nuns were just helping them to get jobs and that they were not converted by the nuns.

In January 2023, a mob of around 50 people allegedly vandalised a church in Narayanpur district and attacked police officials, including the Superintendent of Police. Following the incident, more than 100 people who had converted to Christianity were reportedly socially boycotted from their villages in Kanker, Kondagaon and Narayanpur, and had to live in a stadium in Narayanpur.