Joint Statement on Anti-Conversion Legislation in India

Five states in India have already enacted legislation which restricts or impairs the right of citizens to freely convert from one religion to another. As the Rajasthan Government introduces its own law, we believe that we must raise our voice.

We consider that these laws seriously infringe and undermine religious freedom, and violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Constitution of our nation. Furthermore, we believe these laws deepen and worsen religious divisions, conflicts and violence instead of enhancing the search for religious tolerance, harmony and mutual respect. While we unreservedly condemn any unethical or improper conduct, and any 'forced conversions', on the part of evangelists and religious teachers in their efforts to communicate their faith, we believe that the use of the terms 'force', 'fraud' and 'allurement' have been poorly defined in the legislation, and that the vague definitions both restrict religious and charitable activities, and create ample opportunity for abuse and unjust prosecution.

We believe that enshrining these terms in legislation gives credence to the rhetoric used by extremists against religious minorities, and publicly legitimises opposition to a wide range of religious activities. We believe these laws are superfluous and serve only to intimidate religious minorities and to obstruct freedom of faith.

We especially abhor the additional penal provisions in four state laws, where the converted person is a woman or a member of the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, and call for full freedom of faith for the most vulnerable sections of Indian society.

We urge the Governments of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan to repeal these unjust laws. We call on all religious and political leaders in India to work together to find ways of addressing disputes through dialogue and through non-violent, non-legislative and non-discriminatory ways. We call for a new climate of equal rights, religious freedom and harmony based on mutual respect for one another as human beings. Finally, we ask the international community to support our call.

In solidarity,

Ms Susan K.E. Alexander
Advocate, Mumbai, Maharashtra

Mr Gollapalli Ambedkar
Vice President, Ambedkar Dharma Porata Samithi

Ms Tehmina Arora
General Secretary, Christian Legal Association of India

Mr B. Arunkumar
Founder President, Dr Ambedkar Educational Society, Vizag

Mr Awtar Singh Bahar
Advocate, Supreme Court of India

Mr Gaddam Balakrishna
President, Andhra Pradesh Arundhathi Bandhu Seva Mandali

Mr A. Balanadham
Honorary President, Dalitha Praja Samithi

Mr Anshuman Bhomia
Advocate, Delhi Bar Association

Mr M. Dharma Bodhi
Ambedkar Dharma Porata Samithi

Mr Gudapati Brahmaiah
President, Dalitha Bahujana Sramika Union

Mr B.S. Chalam
Convenor, Janachaitanya Mandali, Andhra Pradesh

Mr S. Chandaraiah
All India General Secretary, All India Saamatha Sainik Dal, Hyderabad

Mr Kum. K. Damayanthi
Co-convenor, Janachaitanya Mandali, Andhra Pradesh

Mr B.D. Das
Advocate, High Court of Orissa

Rev. Manes Das
Executive Secretary & Director, Eternal Life Fellowship Society

Dr John Dayal
President, All India Catholic Union
Secretary General, All India Christian Council
Member of National Integration Council

Mr P. Indira Devi
President, Bahujan Teachers Association

Mr Ronald D'Sa
Advocate, High Court of Karnataka

Dr Joseph D'Souza
President, All India Christian Council International President, Dalit Freedom Network

Mr Linus Emmanuel
Advocate, High Court of Goa

Mr Manoj V. George
Advocate, Supreme Court of India

Mr Ingilala Gnanabhodi
President, Ambedkar Dharma Porata Samithi

Mr Kallu Gopal
President, Dalit Rights Protection Society, Hyderabad

Dr. Gopinath
Director, Phule Ambedkar National Institute of Social Sciences

Mr William Gordon
Project Coordinator, Awana Clubs India

Mr C. Bala Guruvaiah
Ambedkar Dharma Porata Samithi

Mr B. Harinath
President, AP Buddist Trust, Hyderabad

Rev. Richard Howells
General Secretary, Evangelical Fellowship of India

Professor Dr Kancha Ilaiah
Head of Political Science Department, Osmania University

Mr Zafarul Islam
General Secretary, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind

Bishop Francis Jackson
Karnataka Fellowship of Independent Churches

Mr Philip Jadhav
Coordinator, National Council of Churches of India

Mr Alex Joseph
Advocate, Supreme Court of India

Mr Mohan Kadambavanam
National Director, Awana Clubs India

Mr Siddiram Kamble
President, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Buddhist Society

Mr Kasim
State President, Federation of Progressive Fronts, Karnataka

Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan
General Secretary, All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat
Editor, The Milli Gazette

Mr M. Mala Kondaiah
Ambedkar Dharma Porata Samithi

Fr. George Koovackal
Director, Messengers of Peace & Harmony

Mr Ganta Suresh Kumar
Convenor, Janachaitanya Mandali, Andhra Pradesh

Mr Korivi Vinaya Kumar
President, Dalit Bahujan Front

Mr K. Ashok Kumar
General Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Dalitha Kalamandali

Mr M. Prema Kumar
President, All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations

Mr M. Raj Kumar
Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Ambedkar Yuvajana, Hyderabad

Mr S. Varun Kumar
President, Bahujana Vignana Kendram Trust

Mr B. Leela Kumari
Convener, Dalit Women Literary Parishad

Mr Jessy Kurian
Advocate, Supreme Court of India

Mr Vijayesh Lal
Coordinator, Religious Liberty Commission, Evangelical Fellowship of India

Mr Polepaka Jesroon Levi
Advocate, Nagpur, Maharashtra

Mr Manoj Macwan
Advocate, Gujarat Bar Association
Legal Advisor, Church of North India

Mr John Matthew
Advocate, High Court of Kerala

Professor Dr Tahir Mahmood
Chairman, Amity University Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
Member of National Committee for Religious and Linguistic Minorities

Mr Mariswamy
State President, Dalit Christian Federation, Karnataka

Bishop Karam Masih
Church of North India

Mr Mani Mekkunnel
Secretary, Conference on Religious India

Ms Aneesa Begum Mirza
Former Mayor, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Mr P. Muniyappa
President, Buddhist Society of India, Andhra Pradesh

Mr K. Dhinakar Murthy
General Secretary, Ambedkar Dharma Porata Samithi

Mr K.S.N Murthy
Division In-Charge, Janachaitanya Mandali, Andhra Pradesh

Mr M. Muthanna
President, SC Rights Protection Society

Mr I. Mysaiah
State President, Andhra Pradesh Ambedkar Yuvajana, Hyderabad

Mr Gadipe Nagaiah
President, Dalitha Sanghala Parishat

Mr J.Narayana
President, Dr Ambedkar Yuvajana Sangram, Nizambad

Fr C.M. Paul
Former President, Signis India

Mr B. Patnaik
Director of Support Services, Evangelical Fellowship of India
Commission on Relief

Rev. Dr. Enos Das Pradhan
General Secretary & Chairperson, National Council of Churches of India

Mr Dappu Prasad
General Secretary, Janachaitanya Mandali, Andhra Pradesh

Mr P. Pavan Prasad
Convenor, Janachaitanya Mandali, Andhra Pradesh

Rev. Manohar Prasad
Presbyter-in-Charge, Karnataka Central Diocese, Church of South India

Mr Dondapudi Mohan Prasad
Convenor, DBF Kala Mandali

Mr K. Praveen
President, Ambedkar Jana Jagruthi Sena

Dr Udit Raj
President, Indian Justice Party
Chair, All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations
Member of National Integration Council

Dr V.T. Rajshekar
Editor, Dalit Voice

Mr M.P. Raju
Supreme Court Advocate

Mr Boge Raja Ram
General Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Ambedkar Yuvajana, Hyderabad

Mr Kaki Ramarao
Convenor, Janachaitanya Mandali, Andhra Pradesh

Admiral L. Ramdas
Former Chief, Indian Navy

Mr Rapolu Ramulu
President, Ambedkar Sanghala Samakya, Hyderbad

Mr D. Kalyana Rao
President, Bharatiya Bouddha Parishat, Vizag

Mr G. Muralidhar Rao
President, All India SC/ST Rights Protection

Mr K. Venkateshwara Rao
State EC members, Ambedkar Dharma Porata Samithi

Mr L. Krishna Rao
President, Janachaitanya Mandali, Andhra Pradesh

Mr N. Babu Rao
General Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Dalitha Mahasabha

Mr Rajeswar Rao
Co-convenor, Janachaitanya Mandali, Andhra Pradesh

Mr Aparna Ray
Advocate, Supreme Court of India

Rajiv Rufus
Advocate, Supreme Court of India

Mr Lansinglu Rongmei Advocate, New Layer Chamber Supreme Court

Rev. Sunil Sarhar
Convener, Truth Seekers Society International

Mr Y.B. Satyanarayana
President, Centre for Dalit Studies

Ms Mary Scaria
Supreme Court Advocate Justice & Peace Commission

Mr Stephen Ronojit Sen
Director, Hand of Hope Legal Services

Mr Bheema Sena
President, Bahujana Natya Mandali

Mr K.M. Shareef
President, Karnataka Forum for Dignity

Mr I. Shekar
President, Andhra Pradesh SC/ST Sarpanchula Sangram

Dr Yoginder Sikand
Former Professor of Islamic Studies, Jamia Milia Islamia

Mr Prashand Solomon
Organising Secretary, United Christian Action

Mr Ella Sonawane
Assistant Secretary, Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge

Mr Singaram Sureshkumar
Advocate, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Mr Kamal Sutanpuri
Solicitors & Advocates, Fox Mandal

Mr M. Venkata Swamy
Treasurer, All India Saamatha Sainik Dal, Hyderabad

Mr K. Vidyasagar
Vice President, Andhra Pradesh Ambedkar Yuvajana, Hyderabad

Mr Dilip E. Williams
Director, New Delhi YMCA

Mr C.L.Yadagiri
President, Jajjanaka Kala Mandali

Mr P. Yadgiri
State President, All India Saamatha Sainik Dal, Hyderabad