Rajasthan Assembly passes controversial Anti–conversion bill

The BJP government in Rajasthan, today, sanctioned the anti–religious conversion bill, in a bid to scrutinize Christian activities including allegations of conversions by force and allurement.

The Bill that was introduced in the House last week received strong resistance from the opposition Congress and the Religious Leaders in the country.

A similar Bill banning religious conversion, was passed by the house earlier, but was returned by the then Governor Pratibha Patil in 2006.

The bill prohibits conversions by use of force, allurement or fraudulent means. Offenders will be punished up to five years, including fines of Rs 50,000.

In its statement of ‘Objects and Reasons’, the bill reads, "Some religious and other institutions, bodies and individuals are found to the involved in unlawful conversion from one religion to another by allurement or by fraudulent means or forcibly which at times has caused annoyance in the community belonging to the other religion."

"In order to curb such illegal activities and to maintain harmony amongst persons of various religions, it has been considered expedient to enact a special law for the purpose."

Christian leaders in the state however feel that the bill will be misused to torture and imprison Christian missionaries on fabricated charges. Cases related to this have been reported in the past.

The Bill of 2008 was re–introduced in the Assembly in spite of the previous Rajasthan Dharma Swatantraya Bill, 2006, still awaiting the assent of President Prathiba Patil.

Ms. Patil, as the then Governor of Rajasthan returned the Bill to the State Government asking to get it cleared from the then President, A.P.J Abdul Kalam.

Congress Chief Whip Juber Khan argues, “how when the 2006 bill is pending, the BJP government could re–introduce the bill on the same matter.”

"It appears that the BJP government is working on the hidden Hindu agenda to appease RSS in the Vidhan Sabha elections slated later this year in the state," Khan said.

Other Congress members who have opposed the bill include, C.P. Joshi, B.D. Kalla and Harimohan Joshi.

However, BJP MLAs are adamant in waiting. “Problems of fanaticism, terrorism and secessionism have always arisen in the areas where Hindus were reduced to minority by large–scale conversions,” said Mr. Garg, a BJP MLA.

Rajasthan is the sixth state to pass an anti–conversion law after Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.