Anti-conversion bill coming in Chhattisgarh with strict rules
The BJP government of Chhattisgarh is going to bring a conversion law. A bill related to this will be introduced in the ongoing session of the Assembly. Cabinet Minister Brijmohan Aggarwal gave information about this in the House on Saturday. Let us tell you that BJP had made conversion the biggest issue in Chhattisgarh assembly elections. Now Vishnu Dev Sal’s government is going to bring anti-conversion law in Chhattisgarh.
Brijmohan Aggarwal said, ‘Cases of conversion are continuously coming to light in Chhattisgarh. Conversion got a lot of protection during the previous Congress government. 34 cases have been registered against conversion, while complaints have been received in more than 3400 cases. However, many officials of the BJP organization are saying that the actual figures of conversion are much higher than this. BJP leaders are claiming that demographic change has taken place in Chhattisgarh due to religious conversion. In such a situation, after the law is made, there may be a ban on conversion somewhere.
Congress has reacted on this issue. Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant condemned the conversion law being made without consultation with the opposition. He said, ‘The articles of the Constitution given by Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar are being ignored. We have relations with every religion. We are all one. It is not appropriate to form an inquiry committee regarding conversion without taking information and keeping the rules and regulations in mind. I condemn it.
The draft of the Religious Freedom Bill is ready, some amendments can be made in it before it is presented in the Assembly. According to sources close to the government, there will be a provision that a person who wants to convert to another religion will have to fill a form with personal details at least 60 days in advance and submit it to the District Magistrate. The District Magistrate will then ask the police to assess the ‘real intention, reason and purpose of the conversion. If nothing suspicious is found then conversion will be allowed.
The draft also states that conversion from one religion to another will not be possible through force. undue influence, coercion, allurement, marriage or any fraudulent means. If the DM finds any of the above mentioned reasons behind the conversion, the conversion will be considered illegal. The draft also states that after conversion, the person will have to fill another declaration form within 60 days and present himself before the DM for verification. If this is not done, the conversion may be considered filegal
It said that till the verification is completed, the DM will display a copy of the declaration form on the notice board of his offic office. A registry of every person who converts will be maintained by the DM. If the family members of the convert fave any objection, they will be able to lodge an FIR. This case will be non-bailable and the hearing will be held in the sesalons court. Those found guilty of illegal religious conversion of minors, women, members ns of Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe will face a minimum jail term of 2 years and is thaximum of 10 years, along with a minimum fine of Rs 25.000.
If found guilty of illegally carrying out mass religious conversion, the punishment will be a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 10 years and a fine of Rs 50.000, The court can also grant compensation up to Rs 5 lakh to the victim of religious conversion. The draft stiltes that the onus of proving that the conversion was not illegal will be on the person doing the conversion, This law not apply to those people who want to return to their original religion.
This article is originally published on https://www.aajtak.in/india/chhattisgarh/story/chhattisgarh-to-form-anti-conversion-law-dm-to-be-alerted-cops-to-assess-motive-says-bill-draft-provisions-ntc-1882011-2024-02-18
