Activists Demand Rollback of Maharashtra Anti-Conversion Law Ahead of August 28 Rollout

Representatives of several civil society organisations gathered at the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh near Azad Maidan on Monday afternoon, August 24, to voice strong opposition to the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, just days before its scheduled implementation on August 28.

The speakers demanded that the notification bringing the anti-conversion law into force be revoked immediately. They raised serious concerns that the legislation restricts the constitutional freedom of consenting adults to choose their faith and warned that it could become an instrument for state surveillance.

The press conference featured addresses by prominent figures, including Sandhya Gokhale, Lara Jesani, Tushar Gandhi, Irfan Engineer, and Fr Frazer Mascarenhas, with S Shaikh serving as the anchor for the session.

During the briefing, the speakers pointed out that the state government had failed to place any credible data in the public domain to establish the existence of widespread forced conversions across Maharashtra. They further noted that authorities had not demonstrated why existing criminal legal provisions were inadequate to address such offences.

Representatives also criticised the legislative process, arguing that the law was passed without adequate public consultation and despite objections raised against it. The participants collectively labelled the impending statute as draconian and called for urgent action to prevent it from taking effect.