By Fr. C.M. Paul

Siliguri, Sept. 19, 2025 — “I married for love, not for religion. But now, I’m treated like a criminal.”

These were the words of Ayesha (name changed), a 24-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh whose interfaith marriage triggered police scrutiny under the state’s anti-conversion law. Her husband, a Christian, was accused of “allurement” — a term so elastic it could include affection, education, or even shared meals.

Across India, stories like Ayesha’s are multiplying. Prayer meetings disrupted. Pastors detained. Converts interrogated. What began as legislation in Madhya Pradesh in 1968 to prevent coercion has morphed into a regime of suspicion, where faith is feared, and freedom is filtered through bureaucracy.

“The Constitution gives me the right to choose my faith. Why must I ask the government for permission?” asks Ramesh (name changed), a Dalit youth from Madhya Pradesh who embraced Christianity after years of caste discrimination. His baptism was reported by a neighbor, triggering a police investigation.

These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a deeper malaise — a growing discomfort with religious plurality and a shrinking space for personal conscience.

When the state becomes conscience keeper

A dozen states, including Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Haryana, and most recently Rajasthan, have enacted or amended laws regulating religious conversion.

Maharashtra has proposed similar legislation. Though framed as “Freedom of Religion Acts,” these laws often require prior notice to authorities, allow third-party complaints, and impose harsh penalties, especially for conversions linked to marriage.

While the language varies, the intent is clear: the state is inserting itself into matters of personal belief, often under pressure from majoritarian politics. The result is a chilling effect on religious freedom, particularly for Christians, Muslims, Dalit and interfaith couples.

When Faith Is Put on Trial

India’s Constitution guarantees the right to profess, practice, and propagate one’s faith. But anti-conversion laws invert this promise. They place the burden of proof on the convert, criminalize spiritual journeys, and treat conscience as contraband.

Legal scholars argue these laws violate: Article 25: Freedom of conscience and religion. Article 21: Protection of personal liberty and privacy. Article 14: Equality before the law.

The Supreme Court has consolidated multiple petitions challenging these laws. In recent hearings, the bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai asked states to clarify how they define “coercion” and “allurement, ”—terms so vague they risk criminalizing compassion, education, or love.

As the court deliberates, the nation watches. Will it uphold the spirit of the Constitution or allow the state to dictate belief?

True faith flourishes in freedom, not fear

This moment demands more than legal clarity. It calls for moral courage. The Gospel teaches us that faith is a response to love, not a reaction to fear. Jesus never coerced; he invited. He never surveilled; he healed. He never punished seekers; he welcomed them.

Consider his ministry: To two curious disciples, he said, “Come and see” (John 1:39) — no pressure, just invitation. To the weary, he offered rest: “Come to me.” (Matthew 11:28). In Revelation, he stands at the door and knocks — not breaks in (Rev 3:20).

He affirmed the woman with the haemorrhage (Mark 5), restored the blind man (John 9), and healed ten lepers—without demanding thanks (Luke 17). He welcomed the sinful woman (Luke 7), revealed himself to the Samaritan woman (John 4), and embraced Zacchaeus the abhorred tax collector (Luke 19).

These are not just biblical moments — they are moral models. They remind us that true faith flourishes in freedom, not fear.

Defending the dignity of conscience

In the face of laws that misconstrue intention and criminalize conviction, the Church must respond with clarity, courage, and compassion. We must affirm that conversion is not a transaction — it is a transformation. It is the fruit of reflection, encounter, and grace.

When individuals choose to follow Christ, they exercise their deepest freedom: the freedom to respond to truth as they perceive it. This must be defended as a sacred right, not a suspicious act.

“Faith is not imposed—it is proposed,” said Pope Benedict XVI. The Church must echo this in every forum.

The right to choose one’s faith is not a Christian issue—it is a human one. The Church must: Defend conscience in courtrooms, classrooms, and pulpits. Accompany those under scrutiny with pastoral care and legal aid.

Foster interfaith solidarity, reminding the nation that its strength lies in diversity, not uniformity.

Let us not be silent spectators. Let us be prophetic witnesses. As St. Paul wrote to the Galatians, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” That freedom is not a privilege—it is a promise. And it must not be surrendered at the altar of political expediency.

(Father C.M. Paul is journalist, and educator based in Siliguri, West Bengal. He serves as vice-principal (Sciences) at Salesian College Autonomous.)