The Uttarakhand government introduced the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill-2022 in the state assembly. This bill has been passed unanimously and by voice vote. In this bill, a provision has been made for punishment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to 50 thousand rupees for the culprits of forced conversion. Apart from this, the bill for 30% reservation for women has also been passed. After the seal of the Governor, these bills will become law.
According to media reports, forced conversion will be a fully cognizable and non-bailable offense after this bill of the Uttarakhand government becomes law. The culprits will be punished for a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 7 years for single conversion. At the same time, there will be a punishment of three to 10 years for mass conversion.
Apart from this, punishment of 3 to 10 years and fine of Rs 25 thousand will be imposed on single conversion of minor women, Dalits and tribes and punishment of 3 to 10 years and fine of Rs 50 thousand on mass conversion. Not only this, in order to deal strictly against the accused of conversion, in this bill, the culprits may also have to pay a compensation amount of at least five lakh rupees. This compensation will be given to the victim.
Earlier, in the year 2018 also a law was brought to stop forced conversions. Then, there was a provision of imprisonment of 1 to 5 years for forced conversion and 2 to 7 years of imprisonment in case of Dalits and tribal community. However, now the law has been made more stringent.
Things like conversion are very dangerous: CM Dhami
Regarding this bill, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said, “Uttarakhand is Devbhoomi. Things like religious conversion are very dangerous here, so the government has come up with strict laws to stop it. This law will be strictly implemented in the state. Similarly, mother power has played a major role in the formation of the state of Uttarakhand, the government had already decided that respecting the mother power in this state with odd geographical conditions, they would be given the benefit of horizontal reservation.”
On Tuesday (29 November 2022) the first day of the winter session of the State Legislative Assembly, the Minister of Religion and Culture of Uttarakhand Satpal Maharaj introduced this bill.
Presenting this bill, he said that according to Articles 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Indian Constitution, this amendment bill has been brought to remove the difficulties being faced in the objective of strengthening each religion equally. In the bill, making illegal religious conversion a cognizable and non-bailable offense, there is a provision of imprisonment for the culprits from a minimum of three years to a maximum of 10 years.
Laws on Conversion in Other States
Significantly, apart from Uttarakhand, some other states including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh have also made strict laws on religious conversion. Talking about the anti-conversion law of Madhya Pradesh, according to the Religious Freedom Act 2020, no person can directly or indirectly convert another person in the name of inducement, threat or forced marriage or any other kind of fraud.
Violation of this law has been made punishable by imprisonment of one to 10 years and a fine of up to one lakh rupees. Not only this, a provision has been made for the punishment of three years to 10 years and a fine of Rs 50,000 for the crime of marrying by hiding religion. Along with this, information has to be given two months in advance for marriage in other religion, if marriage takes place without information then it will be considered void.
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 Bill-2022 in the state assembly. This bill has been passed unanimously and by voice vote. In this bill, a provision has been made for punishment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to 50 thousand rupees for the culprits of forced conversion. Apart from this, the bill for 30% reservation for women has also been passed. After the seal of the Governor, these bills will become law.){kind=link}