Constitutional Status of Religious Conversions in India

Indian society is characterised by diverse religious beliefs. When the written Constitution was adopted, no religion was prescribed as official religion. By way of 42nd Constitutional Amendment, India was expressly declared as a secular State. The right to freely to profess, practise and propagate religion is a fundamental right given to all.Though religion is supposed to unite the people and take people towards a common good. there are instances where religious beliefs are used to exploit the vulnerable people. Most of the Dalits have embraced Buddhism in response to the discrimination they faced in Hinduism. Several tribal communities have converted to Christianity. Every individual has the freedom to profess the religion of his choice. However, forced conversions to a religious faith is certainly wrong. Even then. violent methods are not a solution to this complex social problem.lt has been alleged that certain religious missionaries are involved in forceful religious conversions. This has led to communal tensions and violence at various parts of our country. This book is a concerted attempt at knowing the Constitutional status and limitations of religious conversions. The book accommodates diverse views of social scientists on the interplay between society, religion and law. It is hoped that this book fills up the void in this field and makes for a valued contribution.