The Allahabad High Court denied bail to a man accused of converting a group of Hindus to Christianity, warning that the majority population in the country could become a minority if religious conversions are not halted.
The Allahabad High Court has raised serious concerns about the increasing number of religious conversions happening during gatherings, warning that if this trend continues, the country’s majority population might become a minority one day.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal made this observation while denying bail to Kailash, who is accused of converting a group of Hindus from a village to Christianity.
“If this process is allowed to continue, the majority population of this country could one day become a minority. Such religious congregations where conversions are taking place must be immediately stopped,” the court said, according to Bar and Bench.
The High Court called for an immediate ban on religious gatherings where conversions are happening, stating that these activities directly violate the right to religious freedom as outlined in Article 25 of the Constitution.
Article 25 grants individuals the freedom to believe in, worship, and propagate any religion, subject to certain restrictions.
The court clarified that propagation means promoting one’s religion, not converting someone from one religion to another. It noted instances where the poor have been misled and converted to Christianity in various parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Given the seriousness of the conversion allegations, the court refused bail to Kailash, who is from Maudaha in Hamirpur district.
Ramkali Prajapati filed an FIR against Kailash, alleging that he took Prajapati’s mentally ill brother to Delhi for treatment but did not return as promised. Instead, Kailash allegedly took the villagers to an event in Delhi where they were converted to Christianity. The FIR claims Prajapati’s brother was offered money for his conversion.
