NBCC urges Arunachal CM Pema Khandu to reconsider anti-conversion bill amid concerns of misuse

The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has raised concerns over the revival of an anti-conversion bill in Arunachal Pradesh, urging Chief Minister Pema Khandu to reconsider its reintroduction.

In a letter addressed to Khandu, NBCC General Secretary Zelhou Keyho on Saturday highlighted apprehensions that the legislation could be misused to suppress certain religious groups. The council appealed for sensitivity towards the concerns of all communities in the state.

“We pray and appeal to your good leadership to be sensitive and be considerate, taking the whole region in mind,” Keyho stated.

Meanwhile, Khandu, speaking at the Statehood Day celebrations on Thursday, clarified that the newly framed rules under the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978, are not aimed at any religious community but rather at preserving the indigenous culture and traditions of the state.

He explained that while the Act has existed for 46 years, it lacked a structured framework, which the state government is now addressing as per a High Court directive.

“The intention behind the new rules is not to target any specific religious group, be it Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, or Muslims, but rather to offer greater support to the indigenous people of the state,” Khandu asserted.

He further assured that the government would engage with officials, stakeholders, and religious leaders to ensure an inclusive and balanced approach to the implementation of the rules.