Chapter XVI — Of Offences Relating to Religion
BNS Sections 298 to 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
Introduction
Chapter XVI of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita addresses offences that specifically affect religious sentiments and places of worship. These provisions protect the freedom of religion and the sanctity of religious practice by penalizing acts that insult, outrage, disturb or deliberately wound the religious feelings of any class or person.
BNS Sections Covered
| Section | Title | Short description |
|---|---|---|
| 298 | Injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class | Damaging or defiling a place of worship or its sacred objects with the intention of insulting a religion. |
| 299 | Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings | Performing malicious acts or showing exhibits intended to outrage the religious feelings of a group. |
| 300 | Disturbing religious assembly | Interrupting or obstructing an organized religious meeting or worship. |
| 301 | Trespassing on burial places, etc. | Entering graves, burial places or memorials in a manner that insults the religious feelings associated with them. |
| 302 | Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings | Using words, signs or visible representations with deliberate intent to hurt another person’s religious feelings. |
Conclusion
Chapter XVI (BNS 298–302) safeguards religious liberty and communal harmony by criminalizing actions that insult or harm religious beliefs, practices, or places. These provisions aim to balance freedom of expression with protection against hate and deliberate disrespect toward religious communities.