Madhya Pradesh’s “Freedom of Religion” Law Provides Up to 10 Years in Prison for Crime | India News

BHOPAL: Conversion through marriage or by any other fraudulent means will attract a prison sentence of up to ten years and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh under the proposed Madhya pradesh Religious Freedom Act, an official said Saturday.
A marriage solemnized solely for the purpose of converting a person will be considered invalid and valid, he said.
If a person wishes to undergo a conversion, they must make a statement to a district magistrate at least one month in advance under the proposed law.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a meeting Saturday to discuss the proposed law, an official with the state’s Public Relations Department said.

Under the proposed law, no person in the state will be able to convert anyone directly or otherwise through marriage or by any other fraudulent means by luring or intimidating someone, the official said, citing the prime minister.
A person involved in converting another person by cheating, attracting, threatening or through marriage will be prosecuted.
The penalty can be up to 10 years in cases of religious conversion of minors, groups or belonging to registered castes and tribes.
Blood relatives, including parents of victims of such religious conversion, can file a complaint, the official said.
A marriage solemnized with the intention of religious conversion would be considered null and void.
These cases would be investigated by a police officer who was not below the rank of the deputy inspector.
On November 28, the governor of the BJP ruled Uttar Pradesh consented to the Uttar Pradesh Illegal Conversion of Religion Prohibition Ordinance, 2020, against forced or fraudulent religious conversions.
The ordinance provides for prison terms of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 50,000 in different categories.