Anti-conversion law is not needed in Bihar: Nitish Kumar

This is because members of different communities in the state are living in peace, the chief minister said, explaining his statement.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said there was no need for an anti-conversion law in the state as there was “complete harmony” and members of different communities lived in peace.

There is no need for an anti-conversion law , Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Wednesday.

“There was no need for an anti-conversion law in the state where the government was alert and members of different religious communities lived in peace,” he said.

The chief minister was responding to a query on certain reports which claimed that Hindus were allegedly changing their faith following enticements offered by proselytizers.

“The Bihar government is fully alert on the issue. There is no dispute here between communities. People of different faiths are living peacefully. There is no problem for them. We have done our work efficiently. Hence, such a move (anti-conversion law) is not required here. Our alertness has ensured that there are no communal tensions in the state,” Kumar said.

The chief minister’s remarks came at a time when a few leaders such as Union minister Giriraj Singh, of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – ally of the Janata Dal (United) – have been stressing on the need for an anti-conversion law in several states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh among others.

The JD(U) and BJP have been differing on various issues of late, the latest being caste census and demand for a law on population control.

The BJP reacted cautiously to Kumar’s remark. “The Bihar government led by NDA under CM Nitish Kumar is committed to uphold the Constitution of India,” party spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.