Mumbai: Breaking ranks with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has supported the Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam, or Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026 in the Maharashtra Assembly. The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party–Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) have opposed the “intention” of the Bill, without directly declaring whether they support or oppose it.
The Bill prohibits “unlawful” religious conversions, and includes a mandatory 60-day notice for conversion, up to seven years’ imprisonment for violations, and specific provisions determining the religion of children born from “unlawful” conversion marriages. The draft Bill was approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet last week and tabled in the House Friday. Discussion on the bill began Monday.
The Thackeray Sena’s support came with a caveat that there are certain answers they seek. The bill will be discussed Tuesday in the Upper House of the state legislature.
Speaking about how forceful conversion is unacceptable, party chief Uddhav Thackeray told media persons, “We have extended our support to this anti-conversion or freedom of religion Bill, whatever you call it, because forceful conversion of anybody is wrong. We don’t support it. However, the BJP says such incidents of conversion are on the rise in the last few years. But I want to ask them, who has been governing the state for past few years? So where does the buck stop?”
He added, “However, we still need more answers about this Bill, which will be discussed in the Upper House so even we are fully informed.”
Congress Legislator Aslam Shaikh questioned the intention of bringing this Bill, saying that provision for punishment for any forceful conversion is already in the law and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). “How will the forceful conversion be proved? I don’t know the intention of this Bill . There is no report that any such cases are on the rise. This Bill will be used against one particular religion in future. It needs to be sent to a sub-committee for further study,” Shaikh said.
Even Mumbra MLA Jitendra Awhad of NCP-SP questioned the intent. “Nobody is supporting forceful conversion, but in the Constitution everyone has the freedom of religion. So why is this Bill being introduced? We disagree with the intention of this Bill,” he said.
The Shiv Sena-UBT justified their support on grounds of the Bill being inclusive. “I studied the Bill, and nowhere is it targeting any particular religion. This Bill doesn’t mention that it is to benefit Hindu, or degrades any other religion, and so there is no point of opposing it,” Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav said on the floor of the House.
According to the Bill, the converted person, parents, brother or sister of such person or any other person related to such person by blood, marriage or adoption, may lodge first information report (FIR) of “unlawful” conversion to the police. It shall be mandatory for the officer in charge of the police station to register a complaint made by any person specified above, the Bill says. If the police officer is satisfied that the conversion is made, or is being made in contravention of the provisions of the Act, then the officer shall take suo motu cognisance of such contravention.
“Whoever contravenes the provisions of the law, the person shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of seven years and shall also be liable to fine of one lakh rupees,” the Bill says.
The burden of proof that a religious conversion was not made in contravention of the provisions of this Act shall lie on the person who has caused such conversion and on the abettor who assists, aids or abets such conversion.
Speaking in the House, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “This Bill is not for a particular religion but it applies to everyone. Currently, we don’t have the provision in the law or BNS specifically against forceful conversion. And normally in such forceful conversions, people get involved and they take (the) law into their hands. Such provisions are necessary to prevent that, and maintain law and order,” Fadnavis said.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
Also Read: ‘Even stricter than Gujarat, MP’: Maharashtra cabinet approves draft of proposed anti-conversion law