The Allahabad High Court has emphasized the cessation of religious congregations facilitating conversions, warning that allowing such gatherings could potentially reduce the majority population to a minority in the country.

Yesterday, the Allahabad High Court heard the bail petition of Kailash, accused of transporting individuals from Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh, to a Delhi gathering allegedly for conversions. The court's order, based on the FIR, states that Kailash took Ramkali Prajapati's brother Ramphal to Delhi, and he did not return home thereafter.

According to the FIR, Ramphal, who was reportedly suffering from a mental illness, was taken by Kailash to Delhi with the assurance that he would receive treatment at the gathering and return home within a week. When Ramphal did not come back as promised, Ramkali Prajapati inquired with Kailash but did not receive a satisfactory explanation.

The FIR alleges that numerous individuals from the Hamirpur village were transported to a gathering in Delhi where they were reportedly converted to Christianity. Kailash has been arrested under charges including kidnapping and provisions of the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.

During the court proceedings, Additional Advocate General PK Giri, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, highlighted that these gatherings witness large-scale conversions to Christianity. He also referenced witness statements alleging that Kailash had been taking villagers for conversions and receiving payments in return.

Kailash's counsel, Saket Jaiswal, argued that Ramphal was not converted to Christianity but had merely attended a Christian gathering. He pointed out that Sonu Paster, who organized the gathering, had already been released on bail.

Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal stated in his order that while Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion, it does not explicitly provide for the right to convert from one faith to another.

"The word 'Propagation' means to promote, but it does not mean to convert any person from his religion to another religion," the order says.

"If this process is allowed to be carried out, the majority population of this country would be in minority one day, and such religious congregation should be immediately stopped where the conversion is taking place and changing religion of citizen of India," the court said, while denying bail to Kailash.

"It has come into notice of this Court in several cases that unlawful activity of conversion of people of SC/ST castes and other castes including economically poor persons into Christianity is being done at rampant pace throughout the State of Uttar Pradesh," it added.