A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ANTI-CONVERSION LAWS IN INDIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ‘LOVE-JIHAD’

Article 25 of the Constitution of India guarantees ‘Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion’. Some members of the Constituent assembly were concerned that the right to propagate would facilitate forced conversions, and proposed amendments that would either remove the right to propagate altogether or limited the right to practice religion to the private domain. Others argued that forced conversions did not come within the ambit of this right; further, free propagation would also lead to public awareness about different religions, thereby promoting understanding and peace. These amendments to remove propagation of religion were rejectedi. Seeing increasing number of cases of unlawful conversion, it is very much obvious that the fear of those members of Constituent Assembly has become alive. The term ‘love-jihad’ has been the talk of the town recently. Referring to increased cases of love-jihad , the State Government of UP and MP enacted anti-conversion laws. The paper discusses the anti-conversion laws of different states. Validity of anti-conversion laws has been checked on the parameter of the Constitution. The paper draws important conclusion and suggestions for balance between freedom of religion and enactment of anti-conversion law.