A NEWLY enacted law in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh has triggered concern among Christian communities and rights advocates, who say that its provisions aimed at preventing forced religious conversion risk intruding into personal faith and everyday religious practices.
The Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act 2026, signed by Governor Ramen Deka, requires individuals seeking to convert to notify district authorities in advance. It also mandates official inquiries to determine whether the conversion involves coercion, inducement, or allurement — terms, critics say, that are broadly defined and open to interpretation.
Lawyers argue that this could shift the burden on to individuals to justify their faith choices, and they raise questions about the compatibility of the law with Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which enshrines the right to profess, practice, and propagate religion freely.
“This turns a deeply personal decision into a bureaucratic process,” says Advocate Anil Thomas, a Raipur-based lawyer who has studied similar legislation. “The requirement of prior notice effectively exposes individuals to scrutiny and potential harassment.”
Across the various districts in the state, Christians describe a growing sense of unease. In a village near Raipur, Joseph Kujur, who is 42, said that small prayer meetings had become difficult to organise. “We gather quietly now,” he said. “Earlier, we would pray openly with neighbours. Now there is fear someone might accuse us of influencing others.”
Another resident, Mary D’Souza, who runs a small charity initiative, said that routine acts of service were increasingly viewed with suspicion. “We distribute food and help children with studies. But now people ask questions: why are we helping? what is our intention?” she said.
There has been similar legislation in several other states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party in recent years. Its supporters argue that it is necessary to prevent forced or fraudulent conversions; but critics say these laws affect minority communities disproportionately.
Christian ministers also report a chilling effect on religious activities. “Faith is about choice and conviction,” a pastor in Bilaspur, Daniel Minz, said. “When the state begins to monitor that choice, it creates fear, not faith.”
Rights groups speak of instances of selective enforcement and increased scrutiny of faith-based institutions, and argue that the legal framework is combining with social pressures to narrow the space for religious expression.
The developments in Chhattisgarh reflect a broader debate playing out globally — in which governments balance concerns over coercion with the protection of individual freedoms. For many in the state, however, the question is immediate and personal. “We are not asking for anything special,” Mr Kujur said. “Just the freedom to believe, without fear.”