More than 30,000 people gathered in Jagdalpur, the Bastar district headquarters, Chhattisgarh, on April 13 to protest the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026.

Protestors called for the bill’s immediate repeal, claiming it weaponizes harassment of religious minorities. They described the legislation as a “black law” violating constitutional rights to religious freedom and privacy.

Christians from seven districts in tribal Bastar assembled in defiance, marching peacefully through Jagdalpur while demanding repeal of the anti-conversion law enacted in March.

The Bastar region is one of the hotbeds for persecution incidents in Chhattisgarh, now ranked No. 2 in the country in terms of violence against Christians.

The protest march and rally were organized by Esai Ekta Manch, or the Christian Unity Forum, Bastar Division, with support from various human rights organizations and a few political parties.

A public meeting was held, followed by a march through the city to submit a memorandum to the divisional commissioner of Bastar Division, in the names of the governor, the chief minister, and the home minister.

The memorandum states that the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, is unconstitutional and outlines several specific objections to the law.

During the public meeting, leaders from the Christian Unity Forum stated the bill directly clashes with Articles 14, 19, 21, and 25 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantee equality and the right to practice any religion.

They further contended the law would escalate social ostracism and violence against Christian Adivasis in Bastar, including denial of burial rights in their villages.

The Chhattisgarh government passed the Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, in March, maintaining that the law is necessary to curb fraudulent or forced conversions, particularly in sensitive tribal areas. Penalties under the proposed act range from seven years to life imprisonment, and fines of up to INR 2.5 million (nearly $27,000) for mass conversions.

Other main objections include a 60-day notification requirement to authorities before conversion, which critics deem an intrusion into personal privacy.

Terms such as “allurement” and “undue influence” in the law remain ambiguously defined, allegedly enabling misuse against minorities.

The April 13 protest was part of a series of demonstrations held across Chhattisgarh since the assembly passed the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, in March.

Earlier protests included a torch march in Raipur on March 22, where demonstrators called the law a “black law,” and an attempted march to the state secretariat by Samyukt Masih Samaj on March 28, which police halted.

Protests also took place in other towns of Chhattisgarh, such as Soorajpur, with demonstrators marching under banners of the Christian Unity Forum, Bharat Mukti Morcha, Rashtriya Adivasi Ekta Parishad, and Rashtriya Pichhda Varg Morcha.