The most well-known law regulating conversions in the colonial period was in Raigarh, formally known as the Raigarh State Conversion Act of 1936. A number of princely states had laws regulating conversions, such as Raigarh in present-day Madhya Pradesh.Ī common theme through the years in laws regulating conversions has been to check conversions through allurement of underprivileged or vulnerable groups, such as Dalits and tribals. Laws on religious conversions have existed in India since colonial days. While several Indian states have enacted laws regulating conversions, unsuccessful attempts have also been made at the federal level as well. He said converting to Buddhism was “the only method for Dalits to denounce the caste system and to gain equality”.ĭespite conversion being endorsed by Ambedkar, who chaired the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly, lawmakers have regulated conversions for decades. On October 14, 1956, Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with around 3,65,000 followers. One of the most well-known cases of mass conversions was led by one of the most revered Indians - Bhim Rao Ambedkar. However, the incident has brought the spotlight on religious conversion in India which has been a polarising subject in recent years.Ĭonversions or mass conversions are not unheard of in India. While it might appear here that it’s the mass conversion that has irked people, it’s not the conversion but comments on Hinduism. Gautam resigned from his ministerial post after controversy erupted over such comments and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was termed as “anti-Hindu” - in the run-up to the Gujarat elections where AAP is trying hard to embarrass the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Ī police complaint has been filed against Gautam and he has been questioned by Delhi Police on the subject.

They termed Hinduism as “harmful to the progress of humans”. Repeating after him, converts denounced their former religion and its deities. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmaker Rajendra Pal Gautam earlier this month attended an event in which over 10,000 people converted from Hinduism to Buddhism.ĭays after the mass-conversion, a video surfaced of the event in which a Buddhist monk leading the conversion was seeking denunciation of Hinduism and Hindu deities from the converts.

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