On Saturday, Madhya Pradesh cabinet approved the Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020. The controversial ordinance outlaws marriages with an aim of religious conversions.
State Home Minister Narottam Mishra said that “Under the new Bill, forcing religious conversion on someone will attract 1-5 years of imprisonment & a minimum Rs 25,000 fine".
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while batting for the bill, had called it his Govt’s Beti Bachao Abhiyan or save the daughter mission. No one will be able to convert anyone from one religion to another through marriage or “any other fraudulent means by seducing or intimidating anyone” if the bill was passed, he had said.
The CM added that “Government belongs to everyone, all religions & castes. There is no discrimination but if someone tries to do anything disgusting with our daughters, then I’ll break you".
This approval comes after UP’s governor’s assent to the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, against forcible or fraudulent religious conversions last month.
Section 3 of the bill states anyone found guilty of abetment to religious conversion shall face imprisonment of one to five years & a fine of not less than Rs 25,000. Attempt to hide one’s religion will be punishable by imprisonment of 3 to 10 years & a fine of at least Rs 50,000.
If a minor or a woman from Scheduled Tribe & Scheduled Caste categories is forced into conversion, the perpetrator will be imprisoned for two to ten years & fined up to Rs 50,000. Blood relatives of victims of such religious conversion can file a complaint, the bill further states.
Provision for the imprisonment of five to 10 years & fine of at least Rs 100,000 is being made for attempting mass religious conversion (of two or more persons).
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