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Synopsis

The Allahabad High Court, on Monday, has observed that if conversions at religious congregations are allowed to be carried out, the majority population of this country would be in minority one day.

"If this process is allowed to be carried out, the majority population of this country would be in minority one day, and such religious congregation should be immediately stopped where the conversion is taking place and changing religion of citizen of India...", Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal has said.

A single judge bench has further observed that such conversion is against the Constitutional mandate of Article 25 of the Constitution of India which does not provide for religious conversion, but only provides freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.

Justice Agarwal went on to flag the issue of unlawful conversion of people of SC/ST castes and other castes including economically poor persons into Christianity, being done at rampant pace throughout the State of Uttar Pradesh.

"Article 25 of the Constitution of India provides for Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion, but it does not provide for conversion from one faith to another faith...", court has said.

Court has made these observations while rejecting the bail plea of one Kailash, accused under Section 3/5(1) of the U.P. Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.

In the instant case, one Ramphal was taken by the applicant- Kailash from Hamirpur to Delhi for attending a social gathering and ceremony for his well-being. According to the FIR, many persons from the said village were taken to social gathering and were converted into Christianity.

Court was further informed by various witnesses that Kailash had been taking away people from the village for converting them into Christianity, and for this act he was being paid huge money.

Case Title: Kailash vs. State of UP