In what is being seen as a big move by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the MP cabinet has okayed the “Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2020” on December 26. This was done in a special cabinet meet chaired by CM Chouhan.
Under this new bill, forced conversion of a minor, woman or a person from Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, would draw a minimum jail term of 2 to 10 years with a minimum penalty of ₹50,000.
“Under the new Bill, forcing religious conversion on someone will attract 1-5 yrs of imprisonment and a minimum Rs 25,000 fine,” said Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra.
When passed in the Assembly and approved by the governor, Madhya Pradesh would become the third BJP-ruled state to implement laws against “love jihad”, after Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel promulgated the law in November three days after the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet cleared the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020. Himachal Pradesh this week implemented acts against conversions by force, inducement or through marriages solemnised for the sole purpose of adopting a new religion. Although the bill had been passed by the Assembly last year, only recently had it received the governor’s assent.