COLOMBO, July 30: Twenty two petitions have been lodged against the proposed anti-conversion bill that looks to prevent conversion from Buddhism to other religions.

The petitions have been filed with the Supreme Court by the Catholic and Christian community of the country which makes a collective minority of 6.9 per cent.

The debate regarding the need for the bill has spread through the country. Christian non-governmental organizations are being questioned by the Buddhist Affairs Ministry to ascertain if they are carrying out conversions under the guise of giving humanitarian aid.

The ministry has become especially suspicious of non-governmental organizations working with children. "We had to give out a list of the original religions of children we work with," a representative of World Vision, a global organisation with Christian roots, said in an interview.