Expressing concern over the rising numbers of religious conversions, the Allahabad High Court on July 1 observed that the majority population of the country would become the minority one day, if religious congregations where conversions take place are not stopped.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal made the observation while dismissing the bail plea of an accused under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.
The accused was charged with converting a group of local Hindus to Christianity. The court was told that the informant’s brother was taken away from his village to attend a gathering of “well-being” at Delhi. Along with him, a number of persons from the village were also taken there to convert them to Christianity.
The court said,“If this process is allowed to be carried out, the majority population of this country would be in minority one day, and such religious congregation should be immediately stopped where the conversion is taking place and changing religion of citizen of India.” The court also observed that Article 25 of the Constitution of India provides for “freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion” but does not provide for conversion from one faith to another faith.
“The word “propagation” means to promote, but it does not mean to convert any person from his religion to another religion,” it added. It further observed that “unlawful activity of conversion of people of SC/ST castes and other castes, including economically poor persons” to Christianity is being done at rampant pace throughout Uttar Pradesh. “This Court, prima facie, finds that the applicant is not entitled for bail. Hence, the bail application of applicant involved in the aforesaid case crime is, hereby, rejected,” it ordered.
