Day after SC warning, VHP demands central law against forceful conversion

The Centre must bring in a law against 'illegal' religious conversion at the earliest, the Vishva Hindu Parishad demanded on Tuesday, a day after the Supreme Court warned of a 'difficult situation' ahead if proselytisation through deception, allurement and intimidation is not stopped.

Various incidents and commissions formed on this subject so far have concluded that illegal conversion is a threat to the fundamental right to religious freedom and national security as well, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said in a statement.

"The judiciary had in many cases earlier also stressed the need for a central law on illegal conversion. It is the need of the hour that a central legislation should be brought in forthwith to rid India of the problem of illegal conversions," he said.

At present, such a law has been enacted in just eight states to stop illegal conversion while the problem is nationwide, he added.

Underlining that forced religious conversion may pose a danger to national security and impinge on the religious freedom of citizens, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to step in and make sincere efforts to tackle the "serious" issue

"The issue with respect to the alleged conversion of religion, if it is found to be correct and true, is a very serious issue which may ultimately affect the security of the nation as well as the freedom of religion and conscience of the citizens.

"Therefore, it is better that the Union government may make their stand clear and file counter on what steps can be taken by Union and/or others to curb such forced conversion, maybe by force, allurement or fraudulent means," a bench of justices M R Shah and Hima Kohli said.

The VHP has been demanding the enactment of a central law to curb illegal religious conversion for long. Last year in December, the RSS affiliate launched a nationwide campaign against religious conversion.

"The VHP has also passed resolutions on this subject several times. Illegal conversion not only poses a threat to national security but also to social harmony," the outfit's joint general secretary said.

"After Independence, all the commissions set up to examine the issue of illegal conversion had a clear opinion that a central law must be made to stop it," he claimed.