Chandigarh: The Haryana government on Friday introduced a Bill in the state Assembly against religious conversion through force, undue influence or allurement, triggering vociferous opposition from the Congress.
Speaker Gian Chand Gupta suspended Congress MLA Raghuvir Singh Kadian for the remaining sittings of the Budget session for tearing a copy of the Bill while other Congress members staged a walkout against his suspension.
According to the Haryana Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2022, the onus of proof lies with the accused. If conversion is done by allurement, use of force, fraudulent means or coercion, then there is a provision for imprisonment of one to five years and a fine of not less than Rs 1 lakh.
Similar Bills in the recent past have been passed in the BJP-ruled state, including Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. After the Bill was tabled, Congress MLA Kadian alleged that it reflects the intention of "divisive policies" and demanded that it be sent to a select committee.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, who introduced the Bill in the House, targeted the Congress over the country's Partition on the basis of religion and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
When treasury and opposition benches sparred over the Bill, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said there was no mention of any religion in it.
Reading out the Bill, Khattar said no person shall convert or attempt to convert either directly or otherwise, any other person from one religion to another by misrepresentation, use of force, threat, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by fraudulent means, including the use of digital mode or by marriage or for marriage.
He said there is a provision in the Bill that if a person is willing to go for conversion, he or she can apply for it by submitting an application to the district magistrate.