Chhattisgarh’s Deputy Chief Minister, Vijay Sharma, declared on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, that the state government is preparing to introduce a robust new law during the upcoming Assembly session. This legislation aims to effectively tackle illegal religious conversions and will include specific measures to regulate ‘changai sabhas,’ often referred to as faith healing gatherings.
Sharma, who also oversees the home ministry, informed reporters that this new legal framework is designed to surpass existing laws in other Indian states, incorporating a broader range of provisions and learnings.
Addressing questions about religious conversions, Sharma emphasized, ‘The Act to be presented in the forthcoming Assembly session will integrate insights from laws already implemented across other states, making it a more comprehensive and advanced piece of legislation.’ He further clarified that practices such as ‘changai sabhas,’ widely perceived as deceptive, must be halted. ‘These activities necessitate strong legal provisions, and such clauses will be integral to the new Act,’ he stated.
Both Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy CM Sharma have previously voiced their commitment to enacting a new law designed to curtail illegal religious conversions within Chhattisgarh.
Officials noted that the existing legal framework, the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act of 1968, is currently utilized to address instances of forced conversions.