HP Assembly passes bill to ban conversions by force, marriage
Shimla: In what could be seen as part of BJP's 'Hindutva agenda', Himachal Pradesh assembly on Friday passed a bill to ban all sorts of religious conversions through any inducement, marriages or force.
Though the bill - titled as Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2019 will replace one earlier passed by Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government some years back but introduced a new clause to deal with marriages solemnised for the "sole purpose" of conversions, besides enhancing the punishment up to seven years against two years in the past act.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said states like Uttarakhand has also passed a similar law to strictly deal with conversions done by way of allurements, inducements, force and also marriages.
He said the earlier Act was not strong enough to stop conversions, which were being done at a large scale in the state taking advantage of the innocent Himachalis. Some cases of conversions had come to notice of the government in areas like Rampur and Kinnaur.
The bill strictly bans conversion by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, inducement, marriage or any fraudulent means. "Any marriage for the sole purpose of conversion will also be declared null and void under Section 5 of the bill," the Chief Minister informed.
He said beside persons involved in illegal conversions, the organisations indulging in such activities will also be booked under the new law.
Congress MLA Asha Kumari, who is also AICC in-charge for Punjab said Himachal Pradesh was the first state to pass such a law after conversions were reported in the state in some parts like Rohru and Kinnaur.
She wondered why the BJP government had shied away to give credit to the Congress for making a first state, which now turns the eighth state to have such a law soon. New sections could have been added in the earlier law itself, she lamented.
Former PCC president Sukhwinder Sukhu supported the bill but said the punishment was too high.
The lays down that anyone seeking to convert should give a month's advance notice to the District Magistrate. The priest who performs a conversion ceremony also be required to give a month's notice in advance.
The bill, however, exempts reconversions to the "parent religion".
While the punishment, in general, will be five years, but if Dalits, women or minors were made to convert, the punishment will be between two-seven years.
Meanwhile, K C Sadyal, president of Hindu Mahasangh, a body which had recently submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister seeking a new law to stop religious conversions in the garb of 'love-Jehad' said "we wholeheartedly welcome the initiative. I hope the religious organisations and their gangs operating in the state to convert Hindus to Christianity and Muslim religions, will be put to an end."
