New Delhi, March 11 The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) welcomed the Chhattisgarh government's decision to approve an anti-conversion law and also supported a move to bar non-Hindus from entering temples managed by the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee.
The Vishnu Deo Sai-led cabinet approved the draft of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Bill 2026 on Tuesday to prevent religious conversion through force, inducement, fraudulent means, or misrepresentation.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting at the premises of the legislative assembly, where the budget session is currently underway.
VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal thanked the Chhattisgarh government for clearing the legislation and expressed hope that the law would provide strict punishment for the perpetrators.
"Due to the increasing incidents of religious conversion and 'love jihad', governments have decided to enact constitutionally valid laws in their respective state legislatures to prevent such conversions...the number of states (including Chhattisgarh) will now exceed 12, where strict punishment will be given against religious conversion and 'love jihad'," he said.
He added that the proposed legislation would help protect Hindus in the state from illegal activities of "conversion gangs" attempting to convert them and trap them in "love jihad".
"At the same time, those running gangs involved in love jihad, as well as anti-national elements, will now have to remain cautious. They will have to refrain from such a mindset," he warned.
Bansal also welcomed a decision by the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee to ban non-Hindus from entering the shrines of Kedarnath Temple and Badrinath Temple, and other temples managed by it.
A proposal to ban non-Hindus from entering the Badrinath Temple, Kedarnath Temple and Gangotri Temple was mooted by the committee in January this year.