MP Cabinet to clear 'anti-Love Jihad' Bill on Dec 26; to be tabled in Assembly thereafter

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Tuesday announced that the 'MP Freedom of Religion Bill, 2020' will be cleared in a special Cabinet meeting on December 26. Section 3 of the bill makes it clear that no person can convert or attempt to convert either directly or otherwise any other person from one religion to another by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement, or by any fraudulent means or by marriage. After receiving the clearance from the MP Cabinet, it will be tabled by the government in the three-day Winter session of the Assembly commencing on December 28.

According to Mishra, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government had received many suggestions on its draft bill. The MP government's impetus to enact a law against forced religious conversion comes in the wake of several states moving to outlaw 'Love Jihad. While the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 has already been promulgated, governments in Haryana, Assam, and Karnataka too have promised to enact a law against 'Love Jihad' very soon. 

Read: Allahabad HC Refuses Interim Stay On Anti-Love Jihad Ordinance; Matter Adjourned To Jan 7

Read: 'UP's Creativity Deserves 2 Nobel Prizes': Chidambaram Takes Dig At Love Jihad Ordinance

Here are the key aspects of the proposed bill:

• In the case of religious conversion, the affected person or his/her parents or blood relatives can file a complaint.
• The offence will be cognizable, non-bailable, and can be taken up by the Sessions Court.
• Such a case can be investigated only by a police officer of Sub Inspector rank or above.
• The burden of proving that the conversion has not been done by force will be on the accused.
• The marriage conducted with the intention of conversion will be considered null and void. 
• No person can attempt to abet or conspire religious conversion.  
• If a person wants to convert to another religion, he/she has to submit a letter of declaration to the District Magistrate one month in advance. 
• For violating Section 3, an individual faces imprisonment of 1-5 years and a fine of not less than Rs.25,000.
• If the victim is a minor, woman, or belongs to SC/ST, the guilty can be punished with 2-10 years imprisonment besides a minimum fine of Rs.50,000.
• An attempt to hide one's religion will be punishable by imprisonment of 3-10 years and a fine of at least Rs.50,000.
• Attempting mass religious conversions (of two or more persons) will attract imprisonment of 5-10 years and a fine of at least Rs.1 lakh.

Read: Rajasthan BJP's Satish Poonia Demands Law Against 'Love Jihad'; BJYM Starts Campaign