Chattisgarh Governor objects to “anti–conversion” bills passed by the BJP

The Governor of Chattisgarh has objected to the ‘anti–conversion bill’ to the dismay of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who wanted to push through the bill as it has done in Gujarat state.

The Governor Ekkadu Srinivasan Lakshmi Narsimhan and his predecessor KM Seth raised objections to two provisions–"obtaining permission from the district collector before any conversion", "and allowing people to return to Hinduism and not treating this as conversion," reported an official,

The Governor questioned why the Government wants an amendment in the existing act which is in force since the days of undivided Madhya Pradesh.

The BJP came to power in Chattisgarh–carved out of Madhya Pradesh, in December 2003.

The aggrandizement of Christianity and the accession of Christians in India have worried the BJP who feels the Hindus are forcefully converted. To prevent this from in future the BJP wants the “anti–conversion” laws to be passed in the state.

But Christians have been protesting saying that Article 25 of Indian Constitution and Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, guarantee every single individual the right to preach, propagate and practice one’s religion and to choose the religion of one’s conscience.

Such draconian laws are bound to be misused; it will only become license to persecute Christian workers who have been already intimidated by an escalation of violent attacks on them lately, they protested. And Christians oppose such laws as it is unconstitutional and against the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution.

Consequently, similar bills passed by the BJP in other states such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are facing obstacles too.