Maharashtra cabinet clears ‘anti-love jihad’ Bill despite opposition

The Maharashtra cabinet has approved a proposed 'anti-love jihad' Bill despite sustained opposition from civil society groups and Opposition parties. The government is now expected to introduce the legislation during the ongoing Budget session of the state legislature and seek passage in both Houses before it is sent to the governor for assent.

The proposed law, titled the Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, seeks to penalise unlawful or forced religious conversions. The draft provides for imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of Rs 5 lakh for those found guilty of coercing or fraudulently inducing religious conversion.

According to state minister Nitesh Rane, the law is intended to prevent forced marriages and conversions of Hindu women.

The BJP-led Mahayuti government had last year constituted a seven-member committee headed by the state's director general of police to examine the legal provisions related to religious conversions, study existing laws in other states, and recommend an appropriate legal framework for Maharashtra. The committee submitted its draft to the state government on 26 February, and the cabinet approved it on 5 March.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier said the government does not oppose interfaith marriages. However, he argued that legal intervention becomes necessary in cases where conversion occurs through coercion, concealment of identity, inducement or fraud.

He had also stated that marriages conducted through false identities, coercion or with the intention of forced conversion and harassment must be dealt with firmly through legislation.

The proposed law has drawn criticism from several civil society groups and religious organisations. Bombay Catholic Sabha spokesperson Dolphy D’Souza said the Bill violates the constitutional right to freely profess, practise and propagate religion. “This proposed legislation infringes upon the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom and should be opposed in the interest of all faiths,” he said.

Godfrey Pimenta, trustee of the Watchdog Foundation, described the Bill as a “blunt instrument” that could intimidate and criminalise legitimate religious expression.

Opposition leaders have also questioned the intent and scope of the legislation. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Sachin Ahir said it was necessary to examine whom the law would actually target and how the concept of 'love jihad' was being defined.

“We first need to understand how the law defines this issue and whether it applies equally to all communities or is aimed at a particular one. Only after a thorough study should we comment on it,” Ahir said.

Meanwhile, the issue of anti-conversion laws has also reached the Supreme Court of India, which recently agreed to examine the constitutional validity of such legislation enacted in 12 states.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant issued notices to the Union government and the states of Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Jharkhand.

Christian groups have argued that such laws encourage vigilante groups and could lead to increased violence against minorities.

Critics of the proposed Maharashtra legislation say it could infringe upon religious freedom, violate personal privacy and potentially target minority communities. They argue that vague terms such as “inducement”, “allurement” and “pressure” could allow misuse by authorities and place consensual interfaith marriages under suspicion.

The requirement for prior notice of conversion — reportedly up to 60 days — has also raised concerns that it may create an atmosphere of surveillance and moral policing.

Opponents further contend that existing criminal laws already address offences such as coercion, fraud and abduction, making a separate law unnecessary. According to them, the legislation may be largely symbolic while risking misuse.

The proposed law has sparked intense political and social debate in Maharashtra. While Hindutva organisations have long demanded such legislation, Opposition parties and rights groups argue that it represents an attack on individual liberty and constitutional freedoms.