Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Jul 18: In a strong and controversial stance, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced that Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates fraudulently obtained by individuals belonging to religions other than Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism will be cancelled immediately.
Speaking in the state legislative council while replying to a ‘calling attention’ motion raised by BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe, CM Fadnavis clarified that reservation benefits under the SC category are legally applicable only to those from Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh communities, as per a Supreme Court ruling dated November 26, 2024.
“If anyone from other religions has availed an SC certificate or benefited from reservation in government jobs or elections, their certificates will be cancelled through due process,” he said. “Further, their election victory will be declared null and void if contested using a fraudulent SC certificate,” he added.
The Chief Minister also made it clear that recovery of benefits — including salary and perks — will be initiated against those found guilty of misusing the reservation system.
The issue was raised in the wake of allegations that ‘crypto Christians’—a term used for those who convert to Christianity in practice while maintaining SC status officially—are misusing constitutional benefits meant for marginalised communities.
MLC Chitra Wagh further fueled the debate by citing a disturbing incident in Sangli, where a woman, married into a family that secretly followed Christianity, was allegedly forced to convert and subjected to abuse, eventually leading to her death during pregnancy.
Addressing the sensitive matter of religious conversions, CM Fadnavis stressed that forced or fraudulent conversions will not be tolerated. “Conversion by choice is permitted under law, but using force, deceit, or inducement is a punishable offence,” he clarified.
He revealed that a high-level panel led by the Director General of Police (DGP) has submitted recommendations to curb such coercive conversions. The government is studying the report and will soon bring stringent legal provisions to address the issue.
“We are considering new legal frameworks beyond the existing Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to ensure strict action. A final decision will be made soon,” he assured the House.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Pankaj Bhoyar had earlier announced that Maharashtra will introduce an anti-conversion law during the upcoming winter session of the legislature. The law, he said, will be stricter than those in other states.
BJP leader Pravin Darekar raised concern over organised conversion campaigns targeting the urban poor and slum dwellers, to which Fadnavis responded, acknowledging that such activities have been reported. However, he maintained that voluntary conversions will not be banned, reinforcing the state’s commitment to religious freedom within the constitutional framework.