Nod to ordinance on conversions in MP

BHOPAL: The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday gave its nod to an ordinance on the bill against religious conversion through fraudulent means, including those for the sake of marriage, that stipulates a jail term of up to 10 years for violators, and sent it to state Governor Anandiben Patel for approval.

The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh had also taken the ordinance route to notify a similar law.

The Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2020, which also has a provision to impose fine of ₹1 lakh for “conversion through marriage or by any other forceful means”, was approved by the cabinet on Saturday.

The nod to the ordinance was given in a special meeting of the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet held earlier in the day.

The state government took the ordinance route as the bill couldn’t be tabled in the winter session of the state Assembly, which has been deferred due to the COVID-19 situation, said state home minister Narottam Mishra.

He said this ordinance has been sent to Governor Patel for approval.

“Several ordinances including the Freedom of Religion Ordinance were approved in the virtual cabinet meeting chaired

by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday,” he said.

Mishra had recently claimed that once enacted, the law in MP will be the most stringent in the

THE STATE GOVT TOOK THE ORDINANCE ROUTE AS THE BILL COULDN’T BE TABLED IN THE WINTER SESSION OF THE ASSEMBLY

country.

Offenses under the proposed law will be cognizable and nonbailable. The bill seeks to replace the Religious Freedom Act of 1968, he had said.

The proposed law will prohibit religious conversion or such efforts by misrepresentation, allurement, force, undue influence, coercion, marriage or any other fraudulent means.

Abetment and conspiracy for religious conversion will also be prohibited under it.

Any marriage solemnised in violation of the proposed law will be considered null and void.

Those willing to convert will need to apply to the district administration 60 days in advance, as per the provisions of the legislation. Religious leaders facilitating the conversion will also have to inform about it 60 days in advance.

Violation of these provisions would attract a jail term of three to five years and a fine of ₹50,000. In cases involving religious conversion of members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minors, a provision has been made for imprisonment of two to 10 years and ₹50,000 fine for violators.