The Crossbill News Desk
The Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday, September 9, passed the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025, which prescribes life imprisonment as the maximum punishment for illegal religious conversions.
The Bill was supported by several ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs along with a few independents during the debate.
In a controversial moment during the proceedings, BJP MLA from Civil Lines Gopal Sharma urged two Muslim Congress legislators, Rafeek Khan and Amin Kagzi, to “return to their original religion.”
“Aur jo hamare sadasya dharm parivartan kiye hue hain, Shriman Rafiq Khan aur Kagzi Wagerah, inse nivedan karta hun ki mool dharm mein aaiye, mool dharm mein aaiye (And our members who have changed their religion, Rafeek Khan and (Amin) Kagzi, I request them to come back to their original religion, come back to their original religion),” Sharma said while concluding his remarks in support of the Bill, according to The Wire.
The Bill’s provisions impose stringent punishments for those found guilty of illegal conversion, including imprisonment of 14 years, 20 years, and life imprisonment in certain cases. It also allows for fines up to Rs 50 lakh.
However, the law does not apply to individuals who convert back to their original religion, a process commonly referred to as “ghar wapsi,” or homecoming—a programme led by the Sangh Parivar aimed at converting people from Islam, Christianity, and other faiths back to Hinduism.
During the debate, Minister of State for Home Department Jawahar Singh Bedham defended the Bill, saying, “Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, it does not allow any poor, Dalit, Tribal, oppressed, exploited, deprived person to be forced to change his religion by greed, temptation, fear or deception.”
He further added, “I would say that Lord Krishna had said at that time that o Arjuna, whenever there is loss of religion and increase of evil, then I myself appear as an avatar. The friends in the opposition should think that for the protection of religion, the chief minister of the state has done the work of bringing this Bill in the House keeping in mind the sentiments of lakhs and crores of people.”
The Congress party chose not to participate in the debate, instead raising slogans at the well of the House, alleging that additional cameras were installed near the opposition benches to monitor them.
The passage of the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025, marks another significant step in the BJP’s legislative agenda, but it has also sparked controversy and accusations of potential misuse, especially from opposition parties.
The Bill was supported by several ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs along with a few independents during the debate.
In a controversial moment during the proceedings, BJP MLA from Civil Lines Gopal Sharma urged two Muslim Congress legislators, Rafeek Khan and Amin Kagzi, to “return to their original religion.”
“Aur jo hamare sadasya dharm parivartan kiye hue hain, Shriman Rafiq Khan aur Kagzi Wagerah, inse nivedan karta hun ki mool dharm mein aaiye, mool dharm mein aaiye (And our members who have changed their religion, Rafeek Khan and (Amin) Kagzi, I request them to come back to their original religion, come back to their original religion),” Sharma said while concluding his remarks in support of the Bill, according to The Wire.
The Bill’s provisions impose stringent punishments for those found guilty of illegal conversion, including imprisonment of 14 years, 20 years, and life imprisonment in certain cases. It also allows for fines up to Rs 50 lakh.
However, the law does not apply to individuals who convert back to their original religion, a process commonly referred to as “ghar wapsi,” or homecoming—a programme led by the Sangh Parivar aimed at converting people from Islam, Christianity, and other faiths back to Hinduism.
During the debate, Minister of State for Home Department Jawahar Singh Bedham defended the Bill, saying, “Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, it does not allow any poor, Dalit, Tribal, oppressed, exploited, deprived person to be forced to change his religion by greed, temptation, fear or deception.”
He further added, “I would say that Lord Krishna had said at that time that o Arjuna, whenever there is loss of religion and increase of evil, then I myself appear as an avatar. The friends in the opposition should think that for the protection of religion, the chief minister of the state has done the work of bringing this Bill in the House keeping in mind the sentiments of lakhs and crores of people.”
The Congress party chose not to participate in the debate, instead raising slogans at the well of the House, alleging that additional cameras were installed near the opposition benches to monitor them.
The passage of the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025, marks another significant step in the BJP’s legislative agenda, but it has also sparked controversy and accusations of potential misuse, especially from opposition parties.
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