'Majority will become minority... ': Allahabad HC's warning on religious conversion gatherings

Prayagraj: The “majority population of this country would be in minority” one day if religious congregations where conversions are taking place are not stopped, the Allahabad High Court said.

While rejecting the bail application of a person accused of promoting conversions to Christianity, the bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal observed, "If this process is allowed to be carried out, the majority population of this country would be in minority one day, and such religious congregation should be immediately stopped where the conversion is taking place.”

The Court on Monday said, "Article 25 of the Constitution of India provides for freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion, but it does not provide for conversion from one faith to another faith."

The Court stated that as per the FIR lodged Ramkali Prajapati said that last year her brother Ramphal was taken by Kailash from Hamirpur to Delhi for attending the social gathering and ceremony for the well-being.

"According to the FIR, many persons from the said village were taken to social gatherings and were converted into Christianity," it stated.

The court said, "Counsel for the applicant submits that Ramphal, brother of the informant was not converted into Christianity, nor he is Christian. He had attended the gathering of Christian faith and well-being along with several other persons."

The bench observed, "Article 25 of the Constitution of India stated Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion; subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practise and propagate religion.”

“Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the State from making any law regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other secular activity which may be associated with religious practice; providing for social welfare and reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of Hindus."

The Bench stated, "The word 'propagation' means to promote, but it does not mean to convert any person from his religion to another religion."

It said that in the instant case, there are serious allegations against the applicant (accused) by the informant that her brother was taken away from the village to attend the gathering of well-being at New Delhi and along with him a number of persons from the said village were also taken there and they are being converted into Christianity.

"Brother of the informant never returned to the village. Statements recorded by the IO (Investigating Officer) of various other persons clearly reveals, at this stage, that the applicant - Kailash had been taking away people to attend the religious congregation held at New Delhi, where they are being converted into Christianity," it said.

It said, "It is against the mandate of Article 25 of the Constitution of India which does not provide for religious conversion, it only provides freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion."

The Bench said, "It has come to notice of this court in several cases that unlawful activity of conversion of people of SC/ST castes and other castes including economically poor persons into Christianity is being done at rampant pace throughout the state of Uttar Pradesh."

It ordered, "This court, prima facie, finds that the applicant is not entitled for bail. Hence, the bail application of the applicant involved in the aforesaid case crime is, hereby, rejected."