Jammu, Nov. 29 -- The Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday that religious freedom does

not include a fundamental right to convert other people to a particular religion

and that it certainly does not embrace the right to convert an individual

through fraud, deception, coercion or allurement.

The central government said it is "cognisant of the menace" and laws

that seek to control such practices are necessary to protect the

cherished rights of vulnerable sections of society including women

and the economically and socially backward classes.

The Centre's stand came on a short affidavit in response to a plea by

advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking direction to take

stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversion...