The Concept of India a Hindustan continues...

In the Mahatma’s interview given to The Hindu in 1931 [see Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. Vol XLV, p. 320] he stated:
“Every nation’s religion is as good as another. Certainly India’s religions are adequate for her people. We need no converting spiritually”.

Gandhiji went on to add that if foreign missionaries in independent India sought to convert by inducement such as by medical aid and in providing education, then he would ask them to withdraw from the country. Lest his remarks be treated as a misquote or off the cuff, Gandhiji later authored an article to reaffirm the same view in different language:
“India stands in no need of conversions from one faith to another” Young India (April 23, 1931 issue)

When independent India debated the draft Constitution in the Constituent Assembly, enormous pressure was brought to bear within the Assembly and outside, to make the freedom to convert a fundamental right. Within the Assembly, the leader of Anglo-Indians, Mr. Frank Anthony stated that the right to convert to Christian faith was the “most fundamental of Christian rights” [Constituent Assembly Debates III; p. 489-90]. He and other Christian groups had wanted Article 25 to be so re-drafted as to make the right to carry on conversion activities as a fundamental right. But with the exception of a few, others did not agree. Dr. Ambedkar despite his own stated views against conversion as a right, was prevailed upon by Nehru to draft a hotch-potch Article 25*, which meant all things to all persons, which then was adopted by the Constituent Assembly.

However, soon after Independence, the pinch of induced conversion began to be felt, and some State Governments, notably Madhya Pradesh and Orissa enacted laws banning induced conversions. In 1977, a ruling Janata Party MP Om Prakash Tyagi brought forth a Private Member’s Bill in the Lok Sabha to seek Parliamentary approval to get a law enacted to make induced conversions a national offence. Unfortunately, despite it having wide support, the Janata government did not last long enough to enact a law banning induced conversions.

to be continued....