Himachal Pradesh mulls enacting anti–conversion law

The government of Himachal Pradesh is pondering whether an anti–conversion bill proposed by Hindu nationalist factions should be enacted – a move which could seriously undermine state's secularist traditions.

According to Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh, the government would explore all possibilities and conduct a thorough study in all related aspects regarding the implementation of such legislation.

"It is a matter of concern that this is another state in our secular India, that is mulling over a ban on forced conversion," AsiaNews quoted Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) as saying. "It is especially worrying that the social ministry of the Church is being scrutinized and that there is such a degree of mistrust in the Church's activities. For over a century, the Church has been actively involved in working among the poor and marginalised through her health, educational and welfare programmes. Never before has the good works which are done have ever been doubted."

According to the archbishop, Hindu nationalist outfits are falsely accusing them of using its social activities to forcibly and fraudulently convert others. "Conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit and the Church is merely at the service of all people irrespective of caste and creed. The Church has always been against forced conversions," he said.

Anti–conversion laws are presently in force in the states of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, and Arunachal Pradesh. Gujarat state passed a similar law in March 2003; but the law has not been enforced because the government has not yet formulated rules under the Act. Tamil Nadu was another state that enacted the anti–conversion law in October 2002. However, the state government scrapped it following the defeat of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. In Rajasthan, though the State Assembly has passed the anti–conversion laws, yet, it is pending before the Governor for the assent.