The Rajasthan government has recently passed a law known as the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2025. The law aims to stop religious conversions that takes place through force, fraud or trick . Supporters say it will protect vulnerable people from being pressurised into changing their religion whereas critics fear it could be misused and may affect religious freedom.
Under this law , any attempt to convert someone by force, by lying or by promising marriage falsely will be treated as a crime. The punishment can be very strict. In normal cases, it may mean several years in prison. In more serious cases, such as when the victim is a minor, woman, disabled person or someone from a SC or ST, the punishment can be much higher. The law even says that if someone repeats the crime then they can be sent to prison for life and fined at least fifty lakh rupees . Mass conversions or those carried out with foreign funding also carry heavy penalties.
The law also sets rules for people who want to change their religion voluntarily. Anyone who wishes to convert must inform the district magistrate , two to three months before the conversion. This is meant to ensure that the decision is completely their decision and not influenced by outside pressure. However, the law makes an exception for those who are returning to their original religion, often called “ghar wapsi.” In such cases, no prior permission is needed.
The government said that this law is necessary to protect people in tribal and rural areas , where officials believe conversions sometimes take place through fraud or force. They argue that the law is meant to bring transparency and fairness. On the other hand , opposition leaders are saying that such strict rules may create an atmosphere of fear. They also raise concerns that the law could be misused for political or social reasons and may unfairly target some communities.
Rajasthan’s new law wants to make sure that changing one’s faith is a completely honest and personal choice . While it promises to protect people from being tricked , it also opens a big debate about whether it will truly safeguard their freedom or limit it .
