Raipur
It is now a crime to illegally convert illegally in Chhattisgarh. State Deputy CM Vijay Sharma has clearly stated that strict laws will be made to stop it. Vijay Sharma is the deputy CM and is also the Home Minister of Chhattisgarh. Today, BJP MLA and former minister Ajay Chandrakar raised the issue of religious conversion in the assembly.
Chandrakar said that innocent, helpless, poor people are being converted through temptation on the pretext of ‘Gauta Sabha’ (treatment meeting). He further stated that NGOs made aimed at working in health, education and social work sectors are receiving funds from foreign countries, which are being used for alleged conversion activities. There are many NGOs in the state, which are registered on religious grounds and are also receiving money from abroad.
Ajay Chandrakar alleged that 9 out of 19 registered organizations in Bastar district and 15 out of 18 institutions in Jashpur district are being run by Christian missionaries. Conversion activities are being promoted due to lack of control over these organizations. He said that most of the organizations are working in Jashpur district (Home District of Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai), where most of the cases of conversion come up. The BJP MLA also cited some cases of religious conversion registered with the police in Bilaspur and Raipur districts earlier this year. The use of foreign funding in conversion cannot be denied.
Chandrakar claimed that although the government claims to ban such funds, these institutions do not give their way out by not giving audit reports. In his reply, Deputy Chief Minister Sharma said that it is not right to say that the conversion incidents are increasing due to lack of control of local administration on the NGOs. उन्होंने कहा कि पुलिस उचित जांच करती है और जब ऐसी चंगाई सभाओं में लोगों को धर्मांतरित करने के लिए लुभाने की शिकायतें मिलती हैं तो तुरंत कानूनी कार्रवाई करती है।शर्मा ने कहा कि 2020 में एक मामला दर्ज किया गया,2021 में सात, 2022 में तीन,2023 में शून्य,2024 में कुल 12 और 2025 में अब तक चार मामले दर्ज किए गए हैं।
After this, Chandrakar said that this issue is very serious and Chief Minister Sai has recently talked about it. Inspection of NGOs receiving foreign funds in the state to ensure that such aid is not being used in illegal activities including religious conversion. Chandrakar has received the details of the NGOs receiving foreign funds in the state and whether any complaint has been received against such institutions. Sharma said that the NGOs receiving foreign funds are registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and the Union Home Ministry monitors such foreign funds. Sharma said that earlier there were 364 NGOs in the state who were receiving foreign funds.
Subsequently, Chandrakar asked whether the government would bring new provisions or laws to prevent illegal religious conversion. In response, Deputy CM Vijay Sharma said that the state government is very serious to stop such incidents. Although Chhattisgarh Religion Independence Act is in force, the government is thinking that new legal provisions should be implemented. New provisions will be presented at the appropriate time.
Talking to reporters in the assembly premises, Vijay Sharma said that the police administration is working seriously to stop illegal conversion. Currently, action is being taken under the old provisions. The government is considering the need for new provisions. We will soon bring a new law. A strict law will soon be enacted to prevent illegal religious conversion.
