India News » Maharashtra News India » Maharashtra » Religion: India's new law could turn Christian compassion into a crime
Under India's newest anti-conversion law, the person accused of facilitating a conversion must prove it was voluntary. Rev. Richard Howell asks who gets to decide where compassion ends and coercion ...
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act Takes Effect From August 28: What Changes Under the Law?
Maharashtra’s new law regulates religious conversions, introduces prior notice, tougher penalties and scrutiny of marriage-linked conversions.
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: Catholic Church weighs legal challenge to new anti-conversion law in India
The new law in India's most populous western state drew protests from civil society and Catholic leaders. Neighboring Goa dropped a similar measure.
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: Maharashtra introduces Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026 in Assembly
The Devendra Fadnavis government on Friday introduced the ‘Maharashtra Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam 2026’, or the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: Maharashtra Assembly passes Freedom of Religion Bill
Mumbai: The Maharashtra assembly on Monday, March 16 night, passed the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, which has stringent provisions to prohibit religious conversions carried out through coercion, ...
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: India slowly expands protections for ostracized interfaith, mixed-caste couples
MAHARASHTRA, India (RNS) — In 2018, India’s Supreme Court recognized honor killing as a serious problem and issued guidelines to prevent it, including setting up safe houses. MAHARASHTRA, India (RNS) ...
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: Maharashtra minister cites ‘love jihad’, backs VHP’s call to bar Muslims from Navratri events
Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane has supported the Vishva Hindu Parishad’s call to bar Muslims from Navratri ‘garba’ and ‘dandiya’ events in the state, alleging that “love jihad” cases tend to ...
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: Jamiat chief Mahmood Madani opposes Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, cites constitutional concerns
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani has expressed deep concern over the implementation of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act 2026, alleging that several provisions of the ...
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: Ganesh Chaturthi: The Festival That Became a Symbol of Indian Nationalism in the 19th Century
As people prepare to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, the story behind its transformation from a quiet home ritual into a public movement reveals how one festival became entwined with the fight for freedom ...
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: India's Maharashtra state threatens action against ‘Crypto-Christians’
Church leaders and activists have criticized India’s Maharashtra state for threatening legal action against Dalit Christians, who allegedly benefited from India’s affirmative action program. Chief ...
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: Pune cops invoked Maha Freedom of Religion Act against UK national, UP man before it comes into force from Aug 28
PUNE: The Pune city police seemed to have acted in a haste and invoked provisions of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, against a man from Uttar Pradesh and a UK national though it would ...
News India » Maharashtra » Religion: Indian cardinal slams proposal to control religious places
Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias and Christian leaders in Western Indian Maharashtra state have opposed a government proposal to bring worship places of all religions under the government’s control. “I ...