Published 19:49 IST, February 2nd 2021
Centre rules out enacting anti-conversion law amid BJP's anti-'Love Jihad' campaign
In a big development on Tuesday, the MHA told Lok Sabha that the Centre is not planning to bring an anti-conversion legislation to curb interfaith marriages.
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In a massive development on Tuesday, Ministry of Home Affairs made it clear that Centre is t planning to bring an anti-conversion legislation to curb interfaith marris. MoS Home G Kishan Reddy made this revelation in response to an unstarred question by 5 Lok Sabha MPs- Mohammad Jawed, Anto Antony, TN Prathapan, K Sudhakaran and A Challakumar. This assumes significance as some BJP-ruled states have resolved to outlaw 'Love Jihad' and amended ir anti-conversion laws to prohibit religious conversion by marri. Maintaining that offences related to religious conversion are concern of respective state governments, Reddy ted that law enforcement ncies take requisite action as per existing law.
Union MoS G Kishan Reddy informed Lok Sabha, "'Public Order’ and ‘Police’ are State subjects as per Seventh Schedule to Constitution of India. Hence prevention, detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of offences related to religious conversions are primarily concerns of State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations. Action is taken as per existing laws by law enforcing ncies whenever instances of violation come to tice."
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BJP's move to outlaw 'Love Jihad'
As per some organisations, 'Love Jihad' refers to inter-religious marris where woman converts to Islam eir by force or guile in order to marry a Muslim man. In 2010, n Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan had accused PFI and some or organisations of planning to turn state into a Muslim-majority state by doling out money. In 2020, G Kishan Reddy told Parliament that 'Love Jihad' is t defined under current laws and that such case has been reported by any of Central ncies.
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On vember 28, 2020, Uttar Pradesh became first state to outlaw 'Love Jihad' when Goverr Anandiben Patel promulgated Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020. Under this ordinance, an individual who forcefully marries a girl for sheer purpose of converting her religion can face punishment up to 10 years in jail. Besides this, mass conversions shall be punishable with a jail term of 3-10 years and a fine of Rs.50,000 on organizations conducting it. If someone wants to convert to ar religion, he/she has to submit an application to District Magistrate two months in advance.
In January 2021, Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Ordinance, 2020, came into force. Incorporating stiff punishments similar to UP, it states, " person shall convert or attempt to convert, eir directly or orwise, any or person by use of misrepresentation, allurement, use of threat of force, undue influence, coercion or marri or by any or fraudulent means". Similarly, BJP-led governments in Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka and Assam have also anunced ir intention to pass laws against forced religious conversions.
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19:49 IST, February 2nd 2021