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Pressure for early passage of anti-conversion Bill

Special Correspondent

Bill is the first agenda in business of the House; Congress and CPI (M) to oppose the legislation

JAIPUR: Rajasthan will join the select group of States in the country having stringent rules to stop religious conversions with the passage of the anti-conversion Bill, titled the "Rajasthan Dharma Swatantraya Bill 2006". The Bill, introduced in the State Assembly last week, is the first item in the business of the House when it meets on Friday, the last day of the Budget session.

There is said to be considerable pressure from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for the early passage of the Bill, which is not going to gel with the so-called progressive image of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje outside the State. Attempts by some politicians from the Opposition to pressurize the treasury benches to leave the passage of the Bill for a later occasion or to refer it to a Select Committee of the Assembly, have not received a positive response. The main Opposition, the Congress, and the lone MLA of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have announced their opposition to the legislation.

"It has been observed by the State Government that some religions and other institutions, bodies and individuals are found to be involved in unlawful conversion from one religion to another by allurement or by fraudulent means or forcibly which at times has caused annoyance in the community belonging to other religions. The inter-religion fabric is weakened by such illegal activities and causes law and order problem for the law enforcing machinery in the State," the statement of objects and reasons for the legislation notes.

The objective of the Bill, among other things, is "to maintain harmony amongst persons of various religions". "... it has been considered expedient to enact a special law for this purpose," the draft Bill points out. The act of "conversion" is defined in the Bill as: renouncing one's own religion and adopting another. One's own religion has been explained as: religion of one's forefathers.

The proposed law is intended to make "unlawful" means and "allurement" in religious conversions punishable. An act of "allurement" is defined as "any temptation in the form of any gift or gratification, either in cash or kind; grant of any material benefit, either monetary or otherwise. The use of "force" in the act of conversion would include "threat of divine displeasure or social ex-communication", besides a show of force or a threat of injury.

The draft talks about a simple imprisonment of not less than two years to anyone who "converts or attempts to convert, either directly or otherwise any person from one religion to another by use of force or by allurement or by fraudulent means". There is also a provision for fine up to Rs.50, 000.Any offence under the new law will be cognizable and non-bailable.

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