Mumbai: A senior Christian leader has appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to reconsider the proposed Freedom of Religion Bill, saying it could harm the state’s long tradition of secular and peaceful coexistence.

Raphael D Souza, former president of the Bombay Catholic Sabha and former secretary general of the All India Catholic Union, wrote an open letter warning that the bill may unfairly target Christian communities and disrupt their long standing humanitarian work in Maharashtra.

In his letter, he said that official data does not support claims of large scale religious conversions. He pointed out that the Christian population in Maharashtra has remained small and even declined over the decades. He added that despite this, attacks on Christians have risen sharply in recent years, and the community now fears increased harassment if the bill becomes law.

Christian groups also worry that common social services such as running schools, hospitals and charitable programs may be labelled as inducements for conversion under the proposed law. They say similar laws in other states have been misused and have resulted in very few convictions despite many complaints.

The concerns echoed growing public protests, with thousands of Christians gathering across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai earlier this week to demand that the government withdraw the bill. Community leaders said that vague terms like force, fraud and allurement could criminalise voluntary faith decisions and discourage genuine charitable work.

The Maharashtra government has said the bill is aimed at preventing forced conversions and is expected to present it in the upcoming winter session of the state legislature.

Christian organisations have urged the government to hold wider consultations and ensure that the final draft protects constitutional rights and does not create fear among minority communities.