The Anti-Conversion Bill and the Strange Case of a Crime Wave That Wasn't There
he Goa cabinet has approved the Goa Prohibition of Religion Bill, 2026, with provisions for stringent punishment, including imprisonment extending up to life, and fines reaching ₹10 lakh. The bill is set to be tabled in the state legislative assembly, yet a critical question looms over this legislation: if government records indicate virtually no cases of unlawful conversion, what is the urgent need for this law?
STORIES
8/26/20263 min read
A Disconnect Between Data and Deterrence
Chief Secretary V. Candailel stated that the legislation aims to protect vulnerable individuals from conversion through “misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or fraudulent means.” However, an examination of the state’s own crime data suggests that while the language of the bill is strict, the problem it intends to address does not appear to exist within the state’s borders. The government has cited protecting “gullible persons,” but the figures available from the recent past reportedly do not reflect a crisis.
The Cases That Went Nowhere
The government’s own annexure to an unstarred question in the assembly reveals a striking pattern. In 2021, there were no cases. In 2024, no cases. In 2025, no cases. The only years with any activity were 2022 and 2023, where two cases each were registered. All four cases were marked “A Final” – closed, not taken further. Among the accused was Domnic D’Souza, a name that appeared multiple times, along with others, but none of these cases progressed.
This is not an isolated phenomenon. An investigation by The Indian Express into Uttarakhand’s Freedom of Religion Act found that over seven years, all five cases that went to full trial ended in acquittals. Courts cited failure to establish coercion or inducement, lack of corroboration of evidence, and contradictions in witness statements. In several cases, courts noted that the alleged victims were likely in consensual relationships, weakening claims of forced conversion
The Human Cost of Vague Definitions
The problem lies partly in the definitions themselves. Words like “fraud,” “inducement,” and “allurement” are broad and open to interpretation. Across India, this ambiguity has led to harassment of ordinary citizens. In Uttar Pradesh, a retired Dalit labourer named Hari Shankar was accused of offering thousands of rupees to poor Hindus to convert. “I live in a madaiya (basic hut). What can I lure people with? If I had Rs 30,000 to spare, wouldn’t I use it to change my own life first?” he asked. After a three-year legal battle, a court acquitted him, noting that the police investigation was riddled with illegalities and contradictions.
In Rajasthan, Catholics were arrested in May under the state’s anti-conversion law and were still trying to obtain bail after lower courts denied their petitions. These cases illustrate how vaguely worded laws can ensnare innocent people, leaving them to spend months or years in legal limbo.
Vigilantism and False Accusations
Across the country, anti-conversion laws have been weaponised by vigilante groups. Accusations of forced conversion are often made without evidence, leading to arrests that place the burden of proof on the accused. The acquittal rates in Uttarakhand demonstrate that the judiciary, in many cases, sees through these allegations. But the damage is already done: years spent in court, reputations ruined, and livelihoods destroyed.
Goa’s Unique Reality
Goa is not like other states. Its history is one of cultural exchange and integration. For over four centuries of Portuguese rule, a unique hybrid culture developed, with Goans of different faiths participating in each other’s religious activities. Inter-religious marriages are common and widely accepted. This is a state where a Hindu family may attend a church feast say in Raia, and a Catholic family may celebrate a hindu festival like Shantadurga Zatra.
In such a society, a law that criminalises conversions based on vague definitions risks disrupting this social harmony. The government’s own data shows no evidence of a problem. The courts across India have repeatedly acquitted those accused under similar laws. The real danger is that this bill will create a climate of suspicion between communities that have coexisted peacefully for generations.
Legislative Priorities Under Scrutiny
The timing of the bill’s introduction has also raised procedural concerns. The monsoon session has been curtailed from the usual 18 days to just 3, limiting the time for scrutiny on these pieces of legislation. This has drawn criticism from opposition parties and legal experts who argue that the assembly’s time could be better utilised for matters of immediate public concern, such as unemployment, zone conversion, price rise, education and environment.
With the bill set to be introduced in the House on 31st August, the government is emphasising its commitment to preventing religious conversions. However, the lack of supporting crime data, the track record of acquittals elsewhere, and the absence of any documented crisis in Goa suggest that the primary impact of this legislation may be symbolic – and potentially harmful.
The proposed law requires individuals to provide advance notice of conversion, a provision seen by critics as an overreach into personal freedoms. For a state like Goa, where religious coexistence is not just tolerated but celebrated, this bill may be a solution in search of a problem that simply does not exist.