Banswara – In a heartwarming yet contentious tale of interfaith romance, a young woman from Rajasthan's Bohra Muslim community has become the first to seek official permission for voluntary religious conversion under the state's controversial new anti-conversion law, all to marry her Hindu lover. This emerges just days after Rajasthan police filed the first FIR under the same legislation in Kota, accusing two Christian priests of mass baptisms through "allurement." As the law – aimed at curbing forced conversions – casts a long shadow over personal freedoms, this Banswara case highlights the delicate balance between love, faith, and legal scrutiny.

The incident unfolds in Banswara district's Rajtalab area, where 22-year-old Nisreen (name changed for privacy), a resident of the local Bohra community, has publicly embraced Hinduism and adopted the name Shivanshi. In a bold affidavit submitted to the local police and district administration on November 23, she declared her conversion as entirely voluntary, driven solely by her desire to wed her boyfriend, Prakhar Trivedi, a 24-year-old Hindu from the same city.

"I am converting to Hinduism of my own free will, without any coercion or inducement," Shivanshi stated in the sworn document, as confirmed by Rajtalab police station sources. She has also requested police protection, citing potential backlash from her family, who had earlier filed a missing person's report alongside Prakhar's parents – a move now deemed invalid since both are consenting adults. The couple wishes to enter a live-in relationship leading to marriage, but under the stringent Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2025, they must navigate a mandatory approval process to ensure no "allurement, fraud, or force" is involved.

This development comes hot on the heels of Rajasthan's anti-conversion law making headlines with its very first enforcement action in Kota. On November 20, Borkheda police station registered an FIR against Delhi-based Pastor Chandy Varghese and local Pastor Arun John, alleging they orchestrated mass conversions during a three-day 'Spiritual Satsang' at Beersheba Church from November 4-6. Hindu outfits Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal complained of "luring" attendees with promises, leading to baptisms where youths publicly declared faith in Jesus Christ while reportedly calling the Rajasthan government the "devil's kingdom" and insulting Hindu sentiments.

The Kota FIR, lodged under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (outraging religious feelings) and Sections 3 & 5 of the new Act (prohibiting unlawful conversion attempts), has sparked a probe involving video forensics from social media livestreams. The pastors, who received notices to respond within three days, maintain the event was a peaceful spiritual gathering with no illegal activities. As of November 24, no arrests have been made, but the case has ignited debates on religious freedom, with #RajasthanAntiConversionLaw trending online.

Enacted on September 9 during the state assembly's monsoon session and notified on October 29, the law imposes draconian penalties: life imprisonment, fines up to ₹1 crore, property seizure, and even demolition for violators. It exempts reconversions to one's "ancestral faith," a clause Shivanshi's case may leverage, but it has drawn fire from minorities and activists for potentially stigmatizing genuine choices. Just this week, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Rajasthan government on a petition by the Jaipur Catholic Welfare Society, challenging the Act as "constitutionally flawed" and violative of Article 25 (freedom of religion).

Rajasthan joins BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh in this legislative trend, often dubbed "love jihad" laws by opponents. In Banswara, however, Shivanshi's story offers a counter-narrative of empowerment: a woman choosing love across divides, testing the law's intent to protect rather than police personal beliefs.