SC asks Centre to file afidavit on forced conversions
The Supreme Court on Monday reaffirmed that forced religious conversion is a “serious issue” and asked the Centre to file a detailed affidavit after collecting information from the state governments on anti-conversion laws.
Stating that it forced conversion is against the Constitution, a bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar posted the matter for hearing on December 12.
The court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking direction to the Centre and states to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversion by “intimidation, threatening, deceivingly luring through gifts and monetary benefits”.
The Centre told the court it is collecting information from states on religious conversion through such means. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time to furnish detailed information on the issue, news agency PTI reported.
He said statutory the regime would determine whether a person is converting due to some change in belief. The apex court acknowledged forced religious conversion “is a very serious matter”.