Forcing religious conversion will attract 1 to 5 years in prison, says MP Narottam Mishra’s interior minister.
The Madhya Pradesh cabinet today approved by oral vote a bill aimed at curbing forced religious conversions. If signed into law, it will include a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and up to 1 lakh rupees fine, and the burden of proof will virtually fall on the accused and those associated with the accused, including organizations and institutions.
The 2020 Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill was introduced at a state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, ahead of the Legislative Assembly session scheduled for later this month.
“Under the new bill, forcing someone’s religious conversion will carry from 1 to 5 years in prison and a minimum fine of Rs 25,000,” Madhya Pradesh Interior Minister Narottam Mishra said. However, if the converted persons belong to a programmed caste or programmed tribe, a minimum jail term of 2 to 10 years would be imposed with a maximum penalty of 1 lakh rupees.
Those who wish to change their religion must notify it two months in advance, otherwise, the marriage will be considered null and void according to the new law.
After chairing a high-level meeting on the bill earlier this month, Prime Minister Chouhan said it will ensure that no religious conversion is carried out by force, temptation or marriage.
The Madhya Pradesh government’s move comes months after the dispensation led by Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh passed a similar law by decree. As a result, several cases of alleged abuse of the law have emerged.
Just yesterday, two teenagers who were walking home from a friend’s birthday party in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, were ambushed, harassed and taken to a police station in an incident that ended up being presented as a case of “love jihad. “under the controversial new anti-conversion law. .
Several legal luminaries, including retired judges such as Justices Madan B Lokur and AP Shah, had said the UP ordinance was untenable and should be immediately repealed.
.
