Raipur: Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday indicated that strong action would be taken against the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) involved in religious conversions in the state. Mr Sai said that the government has received ‘inputs’ on the role of some NGOs, who get foreign funds under various health and education projects, in religious conversions in some parts of Chhattisgarh. “Such activities will be investigated by the state government, the Centre and various probe agencies and strong action will be taken against the NGOs found to be involved in religious conversions”, Mr Deo said. He said that the source of foreign fundings and the fields in which the funds were spent would be probed by the investigating agencies. “I have ordered a probe into the role of such NGOs”, he said. “The organizations found to be involved in religious conversions will be strongly dealt with. We respect all religions and the right of people to practice their religions. But the attempt to create unrest in the society by going for coercive religious conversions by any organization will not be tolerated”, the chief minister warned. Mr Sai regretted that some NGOs were found to be indulging in conversions by using the foreign funds received under heads of education and health projects. Sources said that the state government is seriously contemplating to bring legislation in the ensuing budget session of the Assembly to curb religious conversions in the state. As many as 13 FIRs have been filed in different police stations in the state in the last eleven months in connection with the alleged incidents of religious conversions. The ruling BJP had made the religious conversions a major issue in tribal-dominated regions of Bastar and Sarguja, comprising 14 Assembly seats, in the 2023 Assembly polls and swept the elections in the two regions.
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