Bill passed to check forcible religious conversion in Himachal

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government on Friday passed the Freedom of Religion Bill, 2019 unanimously in the Assembly to check forcible religious conversion.The ruling BJP and the Congress parties passed the Bill, 2019, with the latter initially expressing some resentments over the need to bring the bill as there was already an existing legislation that was brought by its government in 2006.

CPI(M) lone member Rakesh Singha, however, expressed apprehensions over certain provisions in the Bill.The Bill was introduced in the House by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday.

It says that no person should convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any other person from one religion to another by use of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, inducement or by fraudulent means.

Expressing gratitude to then Congress Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who is now a legislator, for passing the legislation against forced religious conversion, Mr Thakur said ''We are not able to stop religious conversions after that Act (2006). 

No case was registered so far despite several cases of religious conversions came to light. The previous act needs 10 amendments, so we decided to bring the new bill''.''The new act will be more stringent'', he asserted.

Earlier, Congress member Jagat Singh Negi said there was no need to bring this bill.

''You can bring an amendment bill for the existing act. Your intention to bring the bill seems to be doubtful'',he said.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Bhardwaj said in the previous act there was a provision of two to three years of sentence. In this bill there was a provision of jail up to seven years.

The bill stated that any marriage which was done either by converting himself before or after marriage or by converting the other person before or after marriage may be declared null and void by the family court.

''It has been observed that there is a rise in conversions by fraudulent means and unless checked well in time, this practice may erode the confidence and mutual trust between the different ethnic and religious groups, the Chief Minister said.In case forcible conversions are not prohibited, it would create public disorder, he said.

Mr Thakur further said the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2006, was enacted to provide for prohibition of conversion from one religion to another by use of force or inducement or by fraudulent means.After the enactment, society has undergone many transitional changes, he stated.

The punishments provided in the Act were not as sufficient as to have a deterrent effect, Mr Thakur said adding that  adequate punishment was required to be provided on the analogy of some states such as Uttarakhand.(UNI)