India’s Rajasthan state approves harsh anti-conversion law, targeting Muslims and Christians

JAIPUR, India (MNTV) — India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has introduced sweeping new anti-conversion legislation in the northern state of Rajasthan, imposing punishments of up to life imprisonment and massive fines for those accused of changing another person’s faith. 

While the law does not name specific religions, it exempts Hindu nationalist “homecoming” campaigns known as ghar wapsi — effectively protecting Hindu conversions while criminalizing those by Muslims and Christians.

The new draft of the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025 was approved by the state cabinet on August 31. 

It replaces an earlier version introduced in February that carried lighter penalties. Under the revised bill, “illegal conversion” is broadly defined to include marriage, persuasion, financial support, “fraudulent means,” or so-called undue influence.

Harsh penalties and sweeping provisions

The legislation raises penalties to unprecedented levels. Offences carry a minimum of 10 years in prison and can extend to life imprisonment, with fines up to 5 million rupees (about $60,000). If a group is involved in a conversion, the minimum punishment is 20 years, rising to life for repeat offenders.

Other provisions give the state sweeping powers:

• Property linked to alleged conversion activities can be seized or demolished.
• Organizations found guilty lose registration and government funding.
• Receiving money from foreign or “illegal” institutions for conversion carries 10–20 years in prison and fines of at least 2 million rupees ($24,000).
• All offences are non-bailable, allowing police to arrest without warrant.
• The burden of proof lies with the accused rather than the state.
• Trials are restricted to higher courts, making defense more difficult.

Exemption for Hindu nationalist ‘homecoming’

By contrast, the law explicitly spares ghar wapsi, literally “homecoming” — campaigns run by Hindu nationalist groups to convert Muslims and Christians to Hinduism. The Sangh Parivar, the family of Hindu nationalist organizations aligned with the BJP-RSS, argues that all Indians were originally Hindu and that “returning” to Hinduism is not conversion at all.

Rights advocates say this exemption institutionalizes a one-way system: conversions to Hinduism are legalized, while conversions away from Hinduism are criminalized. For decades, Hindutva groups have run ghar wapsi ceremonies — often under social and political pressure — while accusing Muslims and Christians of orchestrating “conversion rackets.”

Political and social backlash

Opposition leaders denounced the bill as a political tool to inflame communal tensions ahead of elections. Rajasthan Congress leader Tikaram Jully pointed out that the state government itself admitted in the assembly that no cases of “love jihad”—a conspiracy theory alleging Muslim men lure Hindu women into conversion through marriage—have ever been registered.

Civil rights activists warn that anti-conversion laws are frequently used to harass minority leaders and interfaith couples, with many acquitted after years of trial.

They argue that Rajasthan’s harsher bill, coupled with the exemption for Hindu nationalist groups, demonstrates how state power is being aligned with the BJP’s Hindutva ideology.

Analysts say the legislation highlights a growing double standard in India’s democracy: minorities face prison terms and harassment for practicing or sharing their faith, while Hindu nationalist organizations expand theirs with state protection.

The bill, they argue, signals a deeper erosion of constitutional protections for freedom of belief in the world’s largest democracy.