Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma announced on Monday that the state government will soon introduce a stringent law aimed at preventing illegal religious conversions.
His statement came in response to concerns raised by ruling BJP MLA and former minister Ajay Chandrakar during an assembly session, where he highlighted alleged incidents of conversions carried out under the guise of 'changai sabha' (healing meetings).
Chandrakar claimed that vulnerable individuals, including the poor and helpless, were being lured into religious conversions through various inducements. He alleged that several NGOs, originally formed for social work in sectors such as health and education, were receiving foreign funds, which were allegedly being misused for conversion activities.
According to him, a significant number of such NGOs were operating in Bastar and Jashpur districts, with a majority of them being run by Christian missionary organisations. He further alleged that the lack of regulatory oversight had led to the encouragement of such activities.
Referring to specific cases, Chandrakar pointed out that most conversion-related incidents were reported in Jashpur, which is also the home district of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. He cited instances where police had registered cases of religious conversions in Bilaspur and Raipur districts earlier in the year.
He also raised concerns about the potential misuse of foreign funding, arguing that while the government had claimed to have banned certain foreign funds, many institutions continued to receive them by bypassing audit requirements.
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In response, Deputy CM Sharma refuted claims that the rise in conversion incidents was due to a lack of oversight by local authorities. He assured that the police thoroughly investigate all complaints and take appropriate legal action.
Providing data on conversion-related cases, Sharma stated that one case was reported in 2020, seven in 2021, three in 2022, none in 2023, twelve in 2024, and four cases had already been registered in 2025.
Chandrakar emphasised the seriousness of the issue and noted that Chief Minister Sai had recently addressed the matter, stressing the need for an inspection of NGOs receiving foreign funds to ensure they were not being used for illegal activities, including religious conversions.
He further requested details on the NGOs that received foreign aid and whether any complaints had been filed against them. Sharma explained that NGOs receiving foreign funds are registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and are monitored by the Union Home Ministry.
He revealed that, previously, 364 NGOs in Chhattisgarh were receiving foreign funds, but after amendments to the FCRA in 2020, 84 such organisations were banned, and the registrations of 127 others expired automatically.
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Presently, 153 NGOs with foreign funding are operational in the state. He stated that if any complaints arise against these organizations, the state government informs the Ministry of Home Affairs for further action.
Additionally, the Chhattisgarh government has decided to conduct an audit of organizations that have received financial aid from the state over the past three years, particularly those working in health and education. Sharma clarified that the audit would assess how much money these organizations received, when they received it, and their financial records over the last three years.
When Chandrakar inquired whether the government planned to introduce new legal provisions to curb illegal religious conversions, Sharma affirmed that the government was taking the matter seriously.
He acknowledged that while the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act was already in place, new legal provisions were being considered to strengthen regulations against forced conversions. He assured that such provisions would be introduced at an appropriate time.
Speaking to reporters outside the assembly, Sharma reiterated that the police administration was taking strict action against illegal conversions under existing laws. However, he emphasised that the government recognized the need for stronger legal measures and would soon enact a more stringent law to prevent illegal religious conversions in the state.
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