According to the Central government, there is no fundamental right to convert people under the Constitution’s protections for the free exercise and spread of all religions.

According to a government-filed affidavit, the right to convert is not included by the term “propagate” in Article 25 of the Constitution.

“It is submitted that the right to freedom of religion does not include a fundamental right to convert other people to a particular religion. The said right certainly does not include the right to convert an individual through fraud, deception, coercion, allurement or other such means,” the affidavit said.

According to the government’s evidence, the Reverend Stainislaus ruling makes it obvious that coerced conversions violate a person’s right to conscience freedom. Since it was also determined that these conversions have an impact on public order, the government has the right to control the same.

Forced religious conversion is a very significant issue that endangers national security and citizens’ freedom of conscience, the top court noted during an earlier hearing in the case.