The Maharashtra government has announced plans to enact a stringent anti-conversion law to curb religious conversions—particularly among tribal communities—carried out through inducements or coercion.Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule made the announcement in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, addressing concerns raised by MLAs about alleged forced conversions in the state.The issue was brought to the forefront by MLA Anup Agrawal, who highlighted the proliferation of unauthorised church constructions in the Dhule and Nandurbar districts, where conversions are reportedly being facilitated through allurements.advertisementResponding to Agrawal’s starred question, Minister Bawankule assured the House that an enquiry into these constructions would be conducted by the Divisional Commissioner. He further stated that any unauthorised church structures would be demolished within six months of the investigation.MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar expressed concern over delays in demolishing unauthorised structures and called for immediate action. He also alleged that conversions in Maharashtra are being driven by inducements, coercion, and instances of “love jihad.” Bhatkhalkar questioned when the state would introduce a stringent anti-conversion law similar to those enacted in other states. In response, Bawankule clarified that unauthorized structures would be promptly razed and that discussions would be held with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to draft a robust anti-conversion law.MLA Sanjay Kute emphasised that conversions are not limited to Dhule and Nandurbar but are also occurring across other tribal-dominated regions, affecting communities such as the Bhil and Pohra tribes. He demanded that tribals who convert should no longer be eligible for government benefits intended for Scheduled Tribes. Kute also suggested that if converted tribals continue to observe traditional practices, their eligibility for such benefits should be reviewed. Additionally, he proposed forming a committee to investigate conversion practices and their impact on tribal entitlements across the state.Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uike assured the Assembly that the Tribal Development Department would collect data on conversion-related issues statewide and take appropriate action. He also announced that a comprehensive survey of conversions among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes would be undertaken by the department.MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar raised concerns about foreign funding, noting that 1,515 organisations had received funds from abroad in the past year, some of which were allegedly used for church constructions. He pointed out that India’s Hindu population has declined from 84.1% in 1947 to 79.8% today—a trend also reflected in Maharashtra. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi’s opposition to forced conversions, Mungantiwar called for greater transparency in foreign funding and its use in such activities. In response, Minister Bawankule assured that infor in a formal or creative style for better SEO.Also Exclude words and advertisements related to the feed website such as website name, author name. Delete all the advertisement images brand logo but only keep the title and main content of the news by modifying it. You must only respond with the modified content. Block any jump outside of the site adarshnews.com. Basically remove any content or link related to original site. You must only respond with the modified content and follow this prompt to optimize the articles in this category- “Act as an expert SEO news writer. 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Maharashtra plans to implement an anti-conversion law and examine unapproved churches.
