Amid the raging row over Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks on Mother Teresa, RSS on Sunday reiterated its demand for an anti-conversion law to check the “rising incidents” of religious conversions in the country.

Suhasrao Hiremath, the Akhil Bharatiya Saha Seva Pramukh of RSS, made the remarks at a press conference called to announce an upcoming mega event, a congregation of around 800 social service organisations affiliated to the outfit, in the capital. “The demand for an anti-conversion law to stop conversions through false promises, forceful or any other wrong means is long—standing. We have nothing against people who convert voluntarily. But considering rising incidents of such conversions, government should enact a law,” Mr. Hiremath said.

Mr. Bhagwat’s remarks that conversion to Christianity was the main objective behind Mother Teresa’s service to the poor have sparked a major controversy leading to a fierce Opposition attack on the government. “Few states have such laws in place already. The present government has also raised the issue in the Parliament... It should also consider implementing the recommendations of the Niyogi Committee Report in this regard,” Mr. Hiremath added.

Earlier, amid uproar over VHP’s ‘ghar wapsi’ programme, the government had said that it was open to bringing a Bill against forced conversions.

The three-day convention, ‘Rashtriya Sewa Sangam’, which will be inaugurated by spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi on April 4, will also be attended RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Wipro chairman Azim Premji among others. The first edition of the convention was held at Bengaluru on 2010.