Goa Puts Anti-Conversion Bill on Hold After MLAs Call it 'Hasty', 'In Bad Taste'

New Delhi: The Goa government has decided to withdraw its plan to introduce the anti-religious conversion bill in the ongoing three-day monsoon session of the state legislative assembly after several legislators, including from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), opposed it, The Indian Express reported. 

The state cabinet had last week passed The Goa Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2026, and proposed to table it during the monsoon session.

It had proposed punishment including imprisonment up to life, a minimum fine of Rs 50,000, and compensation of up to Rs 5 lakh for victims of religious conversions carried out through “force, coercion, undue influence, allurement, fraudulent means or marriage”.

The pushback from legislators came during a meeting chaired by Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant. The legislators, including several BJP MLAs and an independent MLA who backs the BJP, reportedly opposed the proposed Bill saying it was not required.

Express reported that Michael Lobo, BJP’s MLA from Calangute, said he felt the government acted in haste in getting the bill approved by the cabinet. As a result, in the meeting before the session, a decision was taken to not introduce the bill this time.

“The Bill will not be coming. We have to study (the bill) and take everyone into confidence. We need to know what the bill is all about. What is happening is wrong. Everyone’s religious beliefs are important, and there should be respect for all religions. Sooner or later, there needs to be a discussion on what’s good for Goa; things are moving in the wrong direction,” Lobo said, as quoted by the daily.

'Why disturb harmony?'

Independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco reportedly said the consensus was that the bill will not be introduced during the session as it was in “bad taste”.

“There are no religious conversions happening in Goa, according to me. There is no data, there are no statistics. So, why is it required? Goa is a peaceful state, and people here have lived in harmony. So, why disturb this harmony? I have supported the government… but this doesn’t have my support,” Lourenco told the daily.

He added that even where offences have been registered, the cases have not been charge-sheeted. He said there is no evidence of conversions in Goa, and that the religious minority organisations help the vulnerable sections of society.

According to the proposed Bill, people intending to change their religion would have to submit a declaration at least 60 days in advance to the district magistrate, or an additional district magistrate, stating that the conversion is voluntarily and without any coercion.

It also proposed that a marriage would be declared void if found to have been solemnised solely for the purpose of unlawful conversion, and that such offenders, including religious figures such as priests, karmkandis, maulvis or mullas, could face imprisonment of minimum three years and up to 10 years.

Opposition parties, members of civil society and the Catholic Church in Goa have previously called for a withdrawal of the proposed legislation, terming it a grave threat to constitutional freedom and communal harmony. 

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