Anti-conversion law challenged in high court

Advocate R Rajamani had filed a Public Interest Litigation seeking a stay on the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Forcible Conversion of Religion Act 2002.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice B Subhashan Reddy and Justice C Nagappan issued the notice, returnable in three weeks.

Rajamani alleged that the evils of untouchability were compelling the scheduled castes to abandon Hinduism and adopt Christianity, and in some cases Islam.

He said that the practice of following or changing one's religion or set of beliefs was a matter exclusively within the private domain of the people.   

The petitioner alleged that no one had claimed they had been forcibly converted to another religion and that conversions had taken place voluntarily.

He said the work of propagating religious practices was individualistic in nature and not systematic.

The petition also stated that the state government, under the guise of maintaining law and order, did not have the power to unduly and unreasonable interfere in the private affairs of the citizens.