- Hindus in India are the only religious majority in the world who live in constant fear of being converted to minority religions.
- The unlawful religious conversion of Hindus is often facilitated by mechanisms supported by a well-organized conversion industry, making it difficult to identify and build a strong case against it.
- Hindu advocacy organizations and rights activists have long called for the enactment of a pan-India anti-conversion law.
- While a few Indian states have passed their own anti-conversion laws, there is still no national law to prohibit unlawful religious conversions across the country.
- India’s politics of minority appeasement and the biased approach to secularism prevent the government from taking the issue of Hindu religious conversions seriously.
- The lack of conclusive data on the systematic conversion across various Indian states is a major obstacle to passing a national anti-conversion law.
India is perhaps the only country where the majority religious group faces a significant threat of being converted to minority religions. Hindus in India are being converted to Christianity and Islam at an alarming rate, yet this issue remains almost invisible in the media.
This apathy towards the forced or deceptive conversion of Hindus can be traced to several factors. One major reason is that these conversions often occur under the pretense of social, cultural, or developmental work, making it difficult to clearly identify and address the problem. In cases where Hindus convert to Islam, emotional manipulation, such as through “love jihad,” plays a big role. Additionally, the heavy burden of “secularism” placed on Hindus and the state’s focus on appeasing minorities have pushed this issue out of the media spotlight.
For years, Hindu advocacy groups and independent activists have been calling for a nationwide anti-conversion law. While several Indian states—like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh—have laws to prevent forced conversions, these laws are often underused, and there is little public awareness.
This article argues that the Indian government must pass a strong anti-conversion law at the national level. We will explore the background of the demand for such a law and highlight how the West often portrays the issue in a biased manner. Western media and think tanks appear to have a vested interest in the continued conversion of vulnerable Hindus, often framing Hindu resistance as an attack on “religious freedom” and “minority rights.”
Contextualizing the need for a pan-India anti-conversion law
In July 2024, the Allahabad High Court expressed concern that if unlawful conversions continued unchecked, the majority population in India could eventually become a minority. This observation came during a hearing on a case of fraudulent religious conversion in the Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh. The case involved allegations that the accused had taken villagers from Uttar Pradesh to a “well-being” gathering in Delhi, which turned out to be a Christian conversion event where the villagers were allegedly lured into converting to Christianity. The court emphasized the urgent need to stop such gatherings that facilitate the conversion of Indian citizens.[1] [2]
The court also noted that unlawful conversions of Indian citizens, particularly those from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and other economically weaker sections, to Christianity were occurring at an alarming rate throughout Uttar Pradesh. Crucially, the Allahabad High Court pointed out that Article 25 of the Indian Constitution grants citizens the right to profess, practice, and propagate their religion, but it does not extend to the right to convert from one religion to another. The court observed that such unlawful conversions directly conflict with the Right to Religious Freedom guaranteed under Article 25.[3]
These seemingly innocuous social and cultural gatherings are increasingly becoming notorious for facilitating unlawful religious conversions in India. Mainstream media, however, rarely covers such incidents, leaving the public with only sporadic reports from niche nationalist publications. When mainstream outlets do report on these gatherings, the conversion angle is often downplayed, preventing the public from grasping the full scope of the issue.
In July 2024, police in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan detained 28 individuals, including 20 women, from a house following a complaint about an organized forced religious conversion event. Approximately 100 people were allegedly lured to attend the religious gathering, which was reportedly organized under the banner of a Church foundation. According to OpIndia, Christian missionaries were operating a center in the area, purportedly to convert Hindus. The attendees were allegedly promised Rs 500 to participate in the event, with further promises of Rs 10,000 per month if they converted to Christianity.[4]
A report published by Sanatan Prabhat in February 2024 claimed that nearly 20,000 Hindus in Bharatpur had already been converted to Christianity through similar means. The standard method involved organizing mass conversion events disguised as satsangs (spiritual congregations), where attendees were enticed to convert with offers of money and other incentives. According to the report, prayer meetings were held to encourage conversions, during which rations were distributed, and attendees were assured that their diseases would be cured and their financial problems addressed. Poor attendees were promised large sums of money deposited directly into their bank accounts. These conversion events, which started with small prayer meetings, eventually expanded to larger venues like farmhouses, resorts, and hotels, where mass conversions took place.[5]
OpIndia also corroborated these claims, reporting that once the conversion racket in Bharatpur was exposed, it became clear that at least 20,000 poor and vulnerable people in the city had fallen victim to these fraudulent religious conversions.[6]
An article published by the Organizer in May 2023 highlighted the increasing use of social media by missionary groups to facilitate fraudulent conversions of Hindus to Christianity. The article cited a viral Facebook video posted by a handle named “Yeshu Satsang.” In the 47-second clip, a man introduces himself as a Hindu Brahmin and shares how his life was filled with confusion until he decided to follow the path of Jesus, serving as a tool for furthering the conversion agenda.[7]
Social media has indeed become a powerful tool for those aiming to convert Hindus to Abrahamic religions like Christianity and Islam. In the case of Islam, social media platforms are increasingly being used to lure young Hindu girls into deceptive relationships that eventually lead to forced conversions. The common strategy involves a Muslim man pretending to be Hindu to initiate a friendship or romantic relationship with a potential victim online. Once the girl is emotionally invested, she is coerced into converting under the guise of “love” and “marriage.”
For Christianity, the approach to social media is more subtle and sophisticated. Hindus are targeted through various tactics, including human interest stories of converts whose lives have supposedly been transformed, exaggerated accounts of the “miraculous” healing powers of Jesus, and propaganda that reinterprets Jesus within the framework of Hindu traditions and popular culture.
A simple YouTube search for “Jesus Bhajan” reveals an overwhelming number of results, with videos available in nearly every Indian language. Social media platforms like YouTube are flooded with content such as “Jesus Bhajan,” “Jesus Garba,” “Jesus Krishna,” “Jesus Shiva,” and other sensational clickbait material designed to lure unsuspecting Hindus into Christianity. These videos often appropriate elements of Hindu culture and tradition to make the content more relatable and appealing to Hindu audiences.
One notable YouTube channel, CBN India, has around 134,000 subscribers and is filled with Christian propaganda videos aimed at evangelizing Indians.[8] The channel features content like Garhwali Christmas, Chhattisgarhi Christmas, Gujarati Christmas songs, Malayali Christmas songs, Nepali Christmas videos, and more. These videos are often professionally produced in collaboration with local artists from various Indian states, which adds to their appeal and effectiveness. The alarming part is that Hindus, whether knowingly or unknowingly, are becoming active participants in the Christian conversion ecosystem through their involvement in these productions.
Interestingly, CBN India also operates a website that, at first glance, does not present itself as a Christian organization. Their “About Us” section describes the organization as one that “builds communities of hope mainly through media by documenting real-life stories and messages of hope in the face of adversity.” However, a closer look reveals that it is indeed a Christian evangelist organization with a primary agenda of promoting Christian conversions in India.[9] A common tactic in the Christian conversion industry is to use motivational and inspirational storytelling to attract a broad audience. It is within this “motivational” content that the subtle yet intentional process of brainwashing occurs.
Another significant player in the missionary ecosystem is the Joshua Project, which wastes no time in revealing its purpose. The “About Us” section of their website explicitly states that “Followers of Jesus around the world are commissioned to ‘go make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19).” The Joshua Project functions as a comprehensive database, focusing on regions and communities where Christianity has not yet taken root. Essentially, it serves as a resource hub for evangelical organizations globally, helping them accelerate targeted proselytization efforts in areas that have limited exposure to the Christian faith.[10]
The Joshua Project’s website includes a country-specific section that tracks the spread of Christianity within each nation. They go further by profiling various castes and sub-castes within Hinduism, such as Brahmins, Kayasthas, and others. Within each of these profiles, they conduct even more detailed micro-profiling. For example, within the Brahmin community, they categorize different segments like Bhumihar Brahmins and Bhat Brahmins.[11]
In India, the Christian conversion industry initially established a strong presence in the southern regions, further consolidating its influence through the Dravidian movement, which facilitated large-scale conversions of Dalits in states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Andhra Pradesh is another state where rampant Christian conversions have significantly altered the local demographics. Although there is no official documentation, experts note that entire villages are now referred to as “Christ villages.” A January 2021 article by Sanatan Prabhat highlights this phenomenon, reporting the arrest of Pastor Praveen Chakravarty from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, for allegedly desecrating murtis of Hindu gods. The report claims that the pastor has established 699 Christ villages in the state.[12]
In the northeastern part of India, the Church has dramatically changed the demographics, displacing indigenous communities. The Khasi community, in particular, has faced relentless missionary efforts. [13]More recently, the northern regions of India have become a focal point for missionaries, with Punjab witnessing a surge in Christian conversions over the past few years. The hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are also being aggressively targeted by the conversion industry.
Regarding the conversion of Hindus to Islam, there have been numerous reports of “land jihad” and “love jihad” in northern states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. Land jihad refers to a coordinated effort by Islamists to acquire land with the intention of altering the demographic makeup of a region. This issue has gained attention over the past decade, and the Chief Minister of Assam recently announced plans to introduce measures to curb the sale of land to Muslims in the state, reflecting growing concerns about the demographic implications of such practices.[14]
Debate on National Anti-Conversion Law
The first anti-conversion law in independent India was enacted in Madhya Pradesh in 1967. Known as the Madhya Pradesh Dharma Swathanthraniya Adhiniyam, 1967 (MP Act), this law penalized conversions carried out through force, fraud, or allurement. Following this, Orissa (now Odisha) passed the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act of 1968, which added “inducement” as an additional criterion for identifying unlawful conversions.[15]
Inspired by these examples, several other states in India enacted their own versions of anti-conversion laws. Currently, states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Odisha have such laws in place. In 2022, Karnataka also passed the State’s Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act to curb illegal conversions. However, after the Congress party won the 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka, the newly formed government repealed this law.[16]
Despite these efforts at the state level, there is no national legislation to prohibit fraudulent conversions across India. The state-level laws have often become entangled in the “secular politics” of India, with successive governments frequently overturning the anti-conversion laws passed by their predecessors, often in a bid to appease minority communities. Additionally, experts note that there is a lack of awareness about these laws at the grassroots level, which diminishes their effectiveness.
In an interview with the nationalist news portal India Speaks Daily, anti-conversion activist and politico-religious observer Jerome Anto emphasized that while various states have enacted anti-conversion laws, there has been no systematic plan to effectively curtail conversions. He pointed out that the bureaucracy is often not well-informed about these laws and stressed the need for experts to be involved in crafting a comprehensive strategy for their implementation at the ground level.[17]
Religious conversions in India are a complex phenomenon that transcends state boundaries. The conversion industry often involves multiple stakeholders, both national and international. While state-level anti-conversion laws are a step in the right direction, a pan-India anti-conversion law would be ideal. Such a law could more effectively identify and address the various elements of the conversion ecosystem, providing a uniform and robust framework to tackle the issue across the country.
Just as Indian states began passing their respective anti-conversion laws post-independence, there were multiple attempts to introduce anti-conversion bills at the national level in the Parliament. Unfortunately, all these attempts failed. The first such effort was the Indian Conversion (Regulation and Registration) Bill of 1954, which aimed to establish a system for licensing missionaries and registering conversions with government officials. However, the bill did not gain sufficient support in the Lok Sabha. Following this, the Backward Communities (Religious Protection) Bill was introduced in 1960, intending to curb the conversion of Hindus to non-Indian religions like Christianity and Islam. This bill also could not pass. The Freedom of Religion Bill, introduced in 1979, sought to impose “official curbs on inter-religious conversion,” but it too did not receive the necessary political backing.[18]
Religious conversion in India is a politically sensitive issue, which is why the Indian government has been hesitant to introduce a national anti-conversion bill in recent years, despite ongoing demands from Hindu advocacy organizations and independent Hindu rights activists. These groups have been calling for a national law to address the widespread conversion of Hindus to Christianity and Islam.
While the Indian government has proactively focused on issues like the Uniform Civil Code, the problem of rampant religious conversions seems to have been sidelined. This is partly due to the strong opposition from Western organizations, think tanks, and media, which often portray India’s attempts to prevent fraudulent conversions as an “onslaught on the rights of minorities.”
Supreme Court lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay has repeatedly raised the issue of unlawful conversions of Hindus, filing multiple petitions in the apex court. He has demanded that the court instruct the central government to introduce a bill to curb fraudulent religious conversions. In November 2022, the Supreme Court took note of Upadhyay’s plea and acknowledged that forced religious conversions were indeed a very serious issue. His plea highlighted that there wasn’t a single district in India free from religious conversion and that such conversions were often carried out through intimidation, threats, deception, gifts, monetary benefits, and even black magic, superstition, and so-called miracles.
The plea also emphasized that the majority of those forcibly converted come from economically and socially marginalized communities, making the practice a violation of their fundamental rights under the Constitution, including the principle of secularism. Upadhyay called on the central government to take stringent steps to curb this practice.[19]
Following the plea, the Supreme Court reportedly sought responses from the central government, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Union Law Ministry on the status of forced religious conversions in India. The court requested a counter detailing the steps that could be taken by the central government and others to curb conversions made through allurement, force, or fraudulent means.
However, in 2023, the Supreme Court bench hearing Upadhyay’s plea was changed. The new bench issued a warning to Upadhyay about filing multiple petitions before different benches of the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court. The court reportedly directed him to delete certain paragraphs from his plea that were perceived as being against minorities.
In 2023, Jerome Anto, a practicing Christian, anti-conversion campaigner, and politico-religious observer, filed a petition addressing the issue of fraudulent conversions. His petition raised concerns about the alleged forced conversions of Hindus and minor children, and he requested the Supreme Court to direct the central government to enact a law to curb religious conversions in India.[20]
However, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition, citing the absence of a “live challenge” that would justify the Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The court further noted that it was beyond its purview to direct the central government or the Law Commission of India to enact an anti-conversion law. Jerome Anto argued that conversion constitutes a form of cultural terrorism that targets indigenous people and their cultural heritage. He also reportedly requested the court to instruct the Law Commission of India to prepare a report and draft a bill to control fraudulent religious conversions within three months, aligning with the principles of Articles 14, 21, and 25 of the Constitution.[21]
In summary, both the legal system and the central government have largely dismissed the issue of unlawful conversions of Hindus. The courts rely on concrete evidence, and in the case of fraudulent religious conversions to Abrahamic faiths like Christianity and Islam, there is a significant lack of evidence. While social media accounts, personal testimonies, and scattered reports in niche media outlets do exist, the mainstream media seldom covers the issue comprehensively. Moreover, the absence of a thorough study on the phenomenon makes it challenging for anti-conversion activists to build a strong case.
Roadblocks to Passing a National Anti-Conversion Law
One of the biggest obstacles to passing a national anti-conversion law in India is the lack of conclusive data on the issue of fraudulent religious conversions of Hindus.
The global media and think tank ecosystem often downplay or outright ignore the large-scale religious conversions of Hindus in India. These entities are also adept at creating narratives that depict minorities as being oppressed in the Indian context. As a result, they have little interest in supporting studies that would highlight issues affecting Hindus, as such findings would contradict their implicit agenda. Most influential research studies that receive media attention are often sponsored by the same left-liberal ecosystem that tends to overlook or dismiss concerns related to the Hindu community. Therefore, it is unrealistic to expect that a comprehensive study on unlawful religious conversions in India would emerge from within this framework.
So, what is the alternative? The Indian government, along with independent think tanks based in India, must take the initiative to commission a national-level study on this issue. In fact, numerous micro-research reports should be initiated by various stakeholders, including Hindu advocacy organizations, both within India and internationally. The Indian government needs to play a proactive role in bringing this issue into the mainstream media and academic discourse, thereby elevating it from the margins.
Once think tanks begin to commission both quantitative and qualitative studies on the fraudulent religious conversions of Hindus in India, mainstream media will be compelled to cover these issues. This can gradually lead to the construction of a strong narrative that highlights the need for a national anti-conversion law. By building a solid evidence base and creating public awareness, it becomes possible to argue effectively for the necessity of such legislation, ensuring that the issue is addressed at the highest levels of policymaking.
Conclusion
Many critics argue that a pan-India anti-conversion law might not fully address the issue, given that the fraudulent religious conversion of Hindus is a well-established industry deeply embedded in the cultural and social fabric of “secular” India. The complexity of religious conversion in India often transcends the simplistic binary of “forced” versus “voluntary” conversions. Most conversions occur in “grey zones,” involving enticement, subtle brainwashing, fear-mongering, and other nuanced tactics. As such, it may be challenging for a law to effectively tackle these issues, given that the legal system often views situations in stark terms of black and white. Critics further suggest that the convoluted nature of forced conversions might be difficult for any law to fully address.
While these concerns are valid, they should not serve as an excuse to ignore the pressing issue at hand: the fraudulent religious conversion of Hindus in India has reached alarming levels, necessitating urgent action. Legal intervention appears to be the most concrete solution to effectively address this situation.
That said, any national anti-conversion law in India cannot afford to be simplistic in its approach. The central government should introduce a comprehensive bill in Parliament after thorough consultation and deliberation with all relevant stakeholders. Such a bill should also establish a framework for dismantling the broader conversion industry, targeting the charitable and social welfare fronts used by Christian missionaries, as well as addressing the “love jihad” and “land jihad” strategies employed by Islamists.
This is not an easy task, and a law alone will not solve all the problems. Alongside a stringent legal framework, Hindu society must become more vigilant and aware of the tactics used by the religious conversion industry. However, none of this can be achieved unless the law empowers the Hindu community to effectively combat these challenges. A well-crafted national anti-conversion law, coupled with heightened societal awareness, is crucial to curbing this pervasive issue.
Citations
[1] Majority will become minority…’: Allahabad HC on religious conversion gatherings | India news – Times of India; https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/majority-will-become-minority-allahabad-hc-on-religious-conversion-gatherings/articleshow/111421111.cms
[2] On Religious Conversion, Major Remark by Allahabad High Court: ‘Majority Population May Become Minority If’…| India News | Zee News; https://zeenews.india.com/india/on-religious-conversion-major-remark-by-allahabad-high-court-majority-population-may-become-minority-if-2762485.html
[3] ibid
[4] 28 detained on complaint of holding a forced religious conversion event in Bharatpur, Rajasthan; https://www.opindia.com/2024/07/28-detained-religious-conversion-christianity-bharatpur-rajasthan/
[5] 20,000 Hindus lured and converted to Christianity in Bharatpur, Rajasthan – Sanatan Prabhat; https://sanatanprabhat.org/english/94469.html
[6] Rajasthan: new details emerge in Bharatpur Christian conversion racket; https://www.opindia.com/2024/02/bharatpur-conversion-racket-funds-recieved-from-italian-organisation-conversion-centres-operating-in-many-villages-in-rajasthan/
[7] Religious Conversion: Now Missionaries using ‘Social Media’ to convert innocent Hindus to Christianity; https://organiser.org/2023/05/22/175090/bharat/religious-conversion-now-missionaries-using-social-media-to-convert-innocent-hindus-to-christianity/
[8] CBN India -YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@cbnindia/videos
[9] Home – CBN INDIA; https://cbnindia.org
[10] Vision, Mission, History, Beliefs, Values | Joshua Project; https://www.joshuaproject.net/about/details
[11] Search | Joshua Project; https://www.joshuaproject.net/search?term=brahmin&limit=0
[12] Andhra Pradesh pastor that converted Hindus and created 699 Christ villages arrested – Sanatan Prabhat; https://sanatanprabhat.org/english/32163.html
[13] Conversion and Superstition: How Church has uprooted Khasi community in North East; https://organiser.org/2023/03/16/165026/bharat/conversion-and-superstition-how-church-has-uprooted-khasi-community-in-north-east/
[14] Will curb land sale to Muslims, law soon for life term in ‘love jihad’ cases: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma | India News – The Indian Express; https://indianexpress.com/article/india/assam-law-love-jihad-domicile-policy-govt-jobs-himanta-biswa-sarma-9494734/
[15] LawBeat | A Legal History of Anti-Conversion Laws in India; https://lawbeat.in/columns/legal-history-anti-conversion-laws-india
[16] Karnataka to scrap anti-conversion law, reverse textbook changes – The Hindu; https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-scraps-anti-conversion-law-introduced-by-bjp/article66971858.ece
[17] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCPMr11PEHY&t=2024s; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCPMr11PEHY&t=2024s
[18] Anti-conversion law: What it is and how various state implement it | India News – Business Standard; https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/anti-conversion-law-what-it-is-and-how-various-states-implement-it-123060600648_1.html
[19] The Wire: The Wire News India, Latest News, News from India, Politics, External Affairs, Science, Economics, Gender and Culture; https://thewire.in/law/sc-forced-conversions-notice-to-centre
[20] SC warns BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay against filing multiple pleas on ‘forced’ conversions; https://scroll.in/latest/1041995/sc-warns-bjp-leader-ashwini-upadhyay-against-filing-multiple-pleas-on-forced-conversions
[21] ‘What kind of PIL is this,’ SC on a plea for enacting anti-conversion law; https://www.deccanherald.com/india/what-kind-of-pil-is-this-sc-on-a-plea-for-enacting-anti-conversion-law-2674925#
