Uttarakhand to make law against forced religious conversions, 'Love Jihad' more stringent

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami informed on Thursday that the police authorities have been directed to undertake strong steps towards forced religious conversions and practices of 'love jihad' in Uttarakhand. In an interview with the media, Dhami stated that the state administration will strengthen the law prohibiting forcible religious transformations. 

As per ANI, Pushkar Singh said, “Information will be gathered about incidents of forced religious conversions and love jihad in the state. Our police will work with more strictness against 'love jihad' and we will also make the law against it more strict." Earlier, the Uttarakhand Freedom Of Religion Act, 2018, was approved by the state government in April 2018, making "forced or fraudulent conversions are done through force or allurement" are considered as non-bailable crimes punishable by up to five years in jail. 

Law against ‘Love Jihad’ of different states 

Earlier this year, the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh approved legislation designed to prevent religious conversions by deception or other dubious ways, such as matrimony. The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2021, was approved by the Yogi Adityanath administration in February. Three types of sections are implemented in the law such as if a juvenile or a woman from a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe gets converted the individuals who will be found to be guilty, receive a sentence of three to ten years in prison and a minimum penalty of Rs 25,000. 

The forced religious conversion is punishable by a prison sentence of one to five years and a fine of Rs 15,000 if the law is broken. while the law provides for three to ten years in prison and a fine of Rs 50,000 in situations of forced mass conversions, are the other two segments of the law.  

Whereas the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was signed by the Vijay Rupani government in the month of April. In some circumstances, the law establishes for up to ten years in prison and a penalty of Rs 5 lakh if found guilty in the process. Again in April 2021, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan administration in Madhya Pradesh enacted a law to prevent religious transformations by marriage or any other deceptive means. The law demonstrates that those who are violating the law may face up to ten years in prison as well a heavy fine will have to be provided by them.  

(Image: ANI)