Supreme Court Petition Highlights Coercive Religious Conversions

A 19-year-old from the Scheduled Caste community has taken his plea about coercive religious conversion to the Supreme Court. Abhishek Khateek alleges forced participation in Christian prayers at a Madhya Pradesh shelter home, and his petition aims to offer a victim's viewpoint on the debated anti-conversion laws.

Khateek's appeal is tied to a broader legal debate, as he joins a batch of pleas addressing the high court's contentious rulings on conversion laws. These disputes have been observed across multiple Indian states, highlighting the complicated legal landscape surrounding religious conversion.

The Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind has also approached the Supreme Court, challenging the anti-conversion laws of states like Uttar Pradesh, asserting these laws infringe on personal privacy by mandating individuals disclose their religious beliefs. This legal front sees a confluence of state petitions and challenges against existing and stayed provisions.