‘Introduced to target minorities’: Maharashtra anti

A day after the Dharma Swatantrya Bill 2026was presented by the Maharashtra government in the Legislative Assembly, Rais Shaikh, Samajwadi Party legislator from Bhiwandi East, demanded on Saturday that it be sent to a joint select committee of the state legislature for review.

He also said that a public hearing should be conducted so that objections can be raised against the Bill, which infringes on fundamental rights.

Speaking on the issue, Shaikh said that common people are currently unable to get gas, hotels are shutting down, and many people have lost their jobs.

“Instead of discussing these issues, the legislature is debating a bill like the Freedom of Religion Bill, which will create divisions in society.

Existing laws already address forced religious conversions, and this bill has been introduced to target minority communities,” he said.

Shaikh further stated that the bill should not be passed without discussion and requires detailed debate.

“Therefore, this bill should be referred to a joint select committee of the state legislature with members from both Houses.

Representatives from minority communities should be included in the committee, as thorough discussion is necessary before passing the Bill,” he added.

Stating that minority representation in the legislature is inadequate, Shaikh said that civil society groups and minority organisations should be allowed to present their views on the Bill.

“For that purpose, a public hearing must be held.

The government should issue a public notice inviting objections and suggestions and conduct hearings on them,” Shaikh said, adding that he will write to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly regarding this on Monday.

A total of 35 civil and minority organisations in the state have opposed the Bill.

Social activist Teesta Setalvad criticised it, saying it undermines privacy, freedom of religion, and fundamental rights.

The People’s Union for Civil Liberties stated that the right to religious freedom includes the right to conversion.

Last year, a committee chaired by Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla was formed to draft this Bill.

The proposed law states that a child born from a marriage arising out of an “unlawful” religious conversion will be considered to belong to the religion followed by the mother before such a marriage/relationship.

It adds that a 60-day notice would be mandatory before religious conversion, during which objections can be raised, and a police inquiry conducted.

Marriages carried out for the purpose of religious conversion would be considered illegal.

The Bill proposes up to seven years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh for institutions or individuals involved in illegal religious conversions.

Vallabh Ozarkar is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized as an authoritative and deeply knowledgeable voice on the politics, governance, and infrastructure of Maharashtra.

With more than nine years of experience in major news organizations, his reporting delivers high standards of Expertise and Trustworthiness.

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