Rajasthan anti-conversion bill explained: Severe penalties, 'ghar wapsi' exemptions and political reactions

Rajasthan Legislative Assembly (Credit: https://assembly.rajasthan.gov.in)

In a significant legislative move, the BJP-led government in Rajasthan has tabled a stringent new anti-conversion Bill, markedly escalating penalties and expanding the scope of a previous draft to include provisions for digital propaganda and a controversial exemption for so-called ‘ghar wapsi’, or a return to one’s “ancestral religion”.

The Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025, was introduced in the state Assembly on Wednesday, as reported by The Indian Express. This new draft replaces a similar Bill tabled in February and is slated for discussion and potential passage on September 9. The new legislation is dramatically harsher, escalating penalties and introducing sweeping new provisions that allow for the demolition of properties used in conversions and the permanent blacklisting of organisations.

The state Cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, granted its approval to the new draft of the bill during a meeting convened on Sunday.

Drastically escalated punishments 



The proposed law seeks to criminalise conversion through “misrepresentation, force, undue influence, propaganda, coercion, allurement or by fraudulent means,” including by marriage. The punishments outlined are among the most severe enacted by any Indian state.

A general offence of unlawful conversion now carries imprisonment of 7 to 14 years and a minimum fine of Rs 5 lakh, a significant increase from the 1-5 years and Rs 15,000 fine in the earlier draft. Conversions of minors, women, persons with disabilities or Scheduled Caste and Tribe members invite 10-20 years in jail and a Rs 10 lakh fine.

The most severe penalties are reserved for mass conversions and specific aggravating circumstances. These offences could result in a life sentence and fines ranging from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh. Furthermore, receiving foreign funds for conversion is a new, specific crime punishable by 10-20 years’ imprisonment.

Property seizure and ‘ghar wapsi’ exemption 



Two of the most consequential new clauses involve property and reconversion. The Bill mandates that any property used for an illegal conversion can be seized or demolished after an investigation, irrespective of whether the owner was aware or gave consent.

Simultaneously, the legislation creates a major exemption by stating that “the return of any person already converted to his original religion i.e. ancestral religion shall not be deemed conversion.” This provision, often referred to as “ghar wapsi” means such reconversions will not be subject to the Bill’s stringent procedures or penalties.

Expanded definitions and bureaucratic hurdles 



The Bill’s scope is widened to include modern mediums, defining “propaganda” as dissemination of information through social media and digital platforms with intent to facilitate conversion. The definition of “allurement” now includes criticising or glorifying one religion against another.

For those wishing to convert voluntarily, the path is laden with bureaucratic obstacles. Individuals must notify the District Magistrate 90 days in advance, while the religious official performing the ceremony must give 60 days’ notice. Violations of these procedures invite imprisonment terms of 7-10 years and 10-14 years, respectively. The magistrate is empowered to publicly display the proposal and conduct an inquiry into the individual’s “genuine intention” if any objections are raised.

Political reaction and historical precedent 



The move has drawn immediate criticism from the opposition Congress. Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully accused the government of attempting to disrupt Rajasthan’s communal harmony for political gain. He pointed out, as reported by The Indian Express, that the government itself had admitted no cases of “love jihad” have been registered in the state, calling the Bill a diversion from pressing issues like “inflation, unemployment, corruption, broken roads and collapsing schools”.

This is not the first attempt to enact such a law in Rajasthan. A similar Bill was passed by a previous BJP government under Vasundhara Raje in 2006 but was returned by the then President. Subsequent efforts in 2008 and during Raje’s second term were also unsuccessful, though the Rajasthan High Court issued guidelines against forcible conversions in 2017.

The proposed legislation now sets the stage for a fierce debate in the Assembly, balancing the government’s stated aim of preventing coercion against concerns of its potential use to target religious minorities and interfaith relationships.

The legislative move aligns Rajasthan with a growing cohort of BJP-governed states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, which have previously enacted their own laws aimed at curbing illegal religious conversion.