Editor's Pick: SC says forced conversions may affect national security, freedom of religion

The Supreme Court on Monday said religious conversions by means of force, allurement or fraud may “ultimately affect the security of the nation and freedom of religion and conscience of citizens”. The top court also directed the Centre to “step in” and clarify what it intends to do about it. The court ordered the Centre to file an affidavit detailing its proposed actions, on or before November 22. According to the Supreme Court, such conversions are found more in poor and tribal areas. “Giving of rice, wheat, clothes, etc., etc., can never be a ground for asking a person to change his conscience, or bargain on my fundamental right to religion,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said. The Bench had also held there was “no fundamental right to convert another person to one’s own religion” as freedom of religions covers all religions equally. Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, the petitioner, said there should be a special law against forced conversions or the Act should be incorporated as an offence in the Indian Penal Code. He alleged that “mass conversions” of people, especially the poor and the unprivileged and those belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, has been taking place. Hearing a petition filed by the advocate earlier this year, the Delhi High Court had observed that conversion is not prohibited. “It is a right of an individual to profess any religion, religion of his birth, or religion that he chooses to profess. That is the freedom our Constitution grants,” the court had said. The case has been scheduled for hearing on November 28 in the Supreme Court. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor‘s Pick and more. Click here. The Hindu’s Editorials Mutual benefit: On India-U.S. cooperation on trade Tradition and talent: On England’s T20 World Cup win The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz When India won the World Cup in 1983 against West Indies, how many runs the latter had to chase? 207 256 183 170 To know the answer and to take the quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 15 NOVEMBER 2022 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Supreme Court says forced conversions may affect national security, freedom of religion The Supreme Court on Monday said [religious conversions]( means of force, allurement or fraud may “ultimately affect the security of the nation and freedom of religion and conscience of citizens”. The top court also directed the Centre to “step in” and clarify what it intends to do about it. The court ordered the Centre to file an affidavit detailing its proposed actions, on or before November 22. According to the Supreme Court, such conversions are found more in poor and tribal areas. “Giving of rice, wheat, clothes, etc., etc., can never be a ground for asking a person to change his conscience, or bargain on my fundamental right to religion,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said. The Bench had also held there was “no fundamental right to convert another person to one’s own religion” as freedom of religions covers all religions equally. Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, the petitioner, said there should be a special law against forced conversions or the Act should be incorporated as an offence in the Indian Penal Code. He alleged that “mass conversions” of people, especially the poor and the unprivileged and those belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, has been taking place. Hearing a petition filed by the advocate earlier this year, the Delhi High Court had observed that conversion is not prohibited. “It is a right of an individual to profess any religion, religion of his birth, or religion that he chooses to profess. That is the freedom our Constitution grants,” the court had said. The case has been scheduled for hearing on November 28 in the Supreme Court. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor‘s Pick and more. [Click here.]( The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Mutual benefit: On India-U.S. cooperation on trade]( [Arrow][Tradition and talent: On England’s T20 World Cup win]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz When India won the World Cup in 1983 against West Indies, how many runs the latter had to chase? - 207 - 256 - 183 - 170 To know the answer and to take the quiz, [click here](. Today’s Best Reads [[How the SC ruling affects your pension payouts] How the SC ruling affects your pension payouts]( [[India’s long-term strategy to transition to a ‘low emissions’ pathway involves more nuclear power, more ethanol] India’s long-term strategy to transition to a ‘low emissions’ pathway involves more nuclear power, more ethanol]( [[No community voices yet in community engagement on TB] No community voices yet in community engagement on TB]( [[An attempt to revive Persian language in Kashmir Fast fading Persian language gets spark of Darabs manuscripts from the past] An attempt to revive Persian language in Kashmir Fast fading Persian language gets spark of Darabs manuscripts from the past]( Copyright @ 2022, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](