Itanagar — A ruling party MP has moved to calm growing alarm over the revived enforcement of a decades-old anti-conversion law in Arunachal Pradesh, saying the measure is intended to formalise religious identity rather than single out any faith. The dispute has accelerated after draft rules were recently submitted to the state government and a statewide protest has been called for later this month.
Speaking at the BJP state headquarters in Itanagar, MP Tapir Gao insisted the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act would not be used to target Christians or any other community. He described the draft rules as a technical step to allow people to have their faith officially recorded, not a bid to restrict belief or worship.
The law itself dates back to 1978 but has been dormant because implementing rules were never framed. A committee led by retired justice B.P. Katakey submitted a draft on June 8, nearly 48 years after the statute was enacted, prompting renewed debate across the state.
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Gao pointed out that similar legislation operates in about 14 other Indian states and that Arunachal Pradesh would join that list if the rules are notified. He said the proposed framework would permit individuals to obtain formal recognition of their professed religion through magistrates or other designated officials — a process he framed as administrative certification rather than religious policing.
Not everyone accepts that explanation. The Arunachal Christian Forum has voiced strong objections to the draft rules and organised a state-wide protest for June 18, which will include a mass vehicle rally in Itanagar. The United Christian Forum has also backed the action, warning that the draft could impinge on personal liberty and the freedom to choose or change faith.
- Key dates: Draft rules submitted June 8; statewide protests scheduled for June 18.
- Principal actors: State government, committee led by retired justice B.P. Katakey, MP Tapir Gao, Arunachal Christian Forum, United Christian Forum.
- What the law does: The original 1978 act outlaws conversion by force, fraud or inducement and remains inactive until rules are set out; the draft spells out procedures for implementation.
- Possible effects: Formal certification of religious identity, increased administrative oversight of conversions, potential legal challenges and local tensions.
Legal and civic experts say the practical impact will depend on the final text of the rules and how authorities apply them. Across India, anti-conversion statutes are defended as safeguards against coercion but criticised for vague definitions and the risk of misuse that can affect minority communities and social harmony.
For Arunachal residents, the immediate questions are concrete: will ordinary acts of worship or voluntary conversions require paperwork, who will adjudicate disputes, and how quickly will magistrates and officials be trained to handle any new procedures? Those uncertainties are driving both the government’s push to formalise the law and civil society’s alarm at potential encroachments on personal freedom.
The state government has not yet officially notified the rules. With protests planned and stakeholders publicly at odds, the coming days will determine whether the draft is revised, put on hold, or moved toward formal notification — and whether legal challenges follow.
