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In Madhya Pradesh, any marriage with intent to convert will now lead to 10 years in prison
The statement also said that if any individual wishes to convert their religion, then they have to inform the district magistrate’s office one month in advance.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday held a high-level meeting with officials on the Religious Freedom Bill, 2020 to stop forced religious conversions in the state.
The new bill introduces penal provisions for conversion through marriage or by any other fraudulent means. Under the proposed law, conversion through marriage or by any other fraudulent means will lead to a prison term of up to ten years and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.
A statement, released by the chief minister’s office, said mass religious conversions will also attract a prison term of up to 10 years and a fine of up to Rs. 50,000. The statement also said that any marriage performed with the intention of religious conversion will be declared null.
“Religious conversion after hiding one’s own religion will attract 3-10 years of imprisonment & minimum Rs 50,000 fine. Mass religious conversion (2 or more people) will attract 5-10 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 1 Lakh,” the statement from the chief minister’s office said.
The statement also said that if any individual wishes to convert their religion, then they have to inform the district magistrate’s office one month in advance. Religious leaders involved in the process will also inform the DM’s office a month in advance.
The chief minister’s office in its statement said in case of conversion of a minor or any person belonging to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe community, violators could face a prison term of up to 10 years or face fine of up to Rs 50,000.
Earlier on Saturday, Madhya Pradesh chief minister had said that the Religious Freedom Bill, 2020 is his government’s ‘Beti Bachao Abhiyan’. While speaking to mediapersons before the meeting, he said, “It is easy to mislead young girls with malicious intent. Later, their life becomes hell. Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020 is our beti bachao abhiyan.”
Several BJP-ruled states are planning to introduce anti-conversion bills in a bid to stop ‘love jihad’. ‘Love Jihad’, according to right-wing groups, is a process of conversion where Muslim men lure Hindu women into marriage with an intent to convert them.
On November 28, Uttar Pradesh government introduced the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 to stop forced or fraudulent religious conversions. The Karnataka government is also planning on introducing a similar bill.
