How Maharashtra Legislature cleared the Freedom of Religion Bill, and why most of the opposition parties did not oppose it

The Maharashtra legislature passed the Freedom of Religion Bill, making it the 13th state in India to have such legislation. While the bill was supported by opposition parties like the Shiv Sena UBT and NCP SP, concerns were raised about its potential infringement on religious freedom and lack of empirical data to justify its need. The bill aims to crack down on forced conversions but has faced criticism from Congress MLA Aslam Sheikh who called it regressive and a one-sided target against a particular community. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, argued that the current legal framework was insufficient to handle the law and order situation caused by such cases.