Religious Freedom Bill tabled in Madhya Pradesh Assembly

Bhopal: The government tabled the Religious Freedom Bill (or anti-‘Love Jihad’ Bill) in the Assembly on Wednesday. Earlier, the state government had approved the Dharma Swantrata Adhiniyam, 2020, or the Religious Conversion Ordinance, in the Cabinet and it has now presented it in the Assembly to convert it into a Bill.

The government aims at bringing the Bill to prevent people from getting into forced marriages done to convert the religion of a woman and to stop ‘love jihad’ practices in the state.

There are many strict provisions in the Bill. There is a provision for 10 years’ jail term and a fine of Rs 50,000 against those who will try to convert women, people of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and minors to another religion. If one wants to change religion, one has to take permission from the collector two months in advance. If the priests, maulavis and pujaris responsible for conversion do not inform the collector, they will be jailed for five years and have to pay a fine of Rs 50,000.

There are stringent provisions for such marriages as they are performed through enticement, threat and conspiracy. Religious conversions not done according to the Act will be scrapped. Such marriages as are performed through the above measures will also be declared null and void. There are also provisions for women victims and their children who will be treated as the heirs of their fathers’ properties. Nevertheless, they will not be converted to their fathers’ religion. Their paternal religion will be the religion that they had at the time of their birth.

The crime is non-bailable under the Act and the case can be heard only in the session court. An accused has to collect evidence to prove his innocence. An officer above the rank of sub-inspector rank can probe such cases.

Besides parents, brothers and sisters, any other family members or legal guardian can file a complaint about religious conversion in the court. Provisions have been made to take action against the organisations and associations involved in religious conversions.