The Hindu : Front Page : Bill violative of freedom of religion: Gujarat Governor

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Wednesday, Aug 01, 2007
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Bill violative of freedom of religion: Gujarat Governor

Manas Dasgupta

“Bill will permit forceful conversion of Jains, Buddhists to Hinduism”
Not aware of returning of Bill: Speaker

GANDHINAGAR: In an embarrassment to the Narendra Modi Government, Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma has returned the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2006 to the Assembly for reconsideration.

The Governor, “after a careful consideration,” said the amended Bill was violative of Article 25 of the Constitution guaranteeing freedom of religion and protection against forced or fraudulent conversions.

The Bill sought to amend Section 2 (b) of the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act passed in 2003 to prevent conversion by use of force, fraudulent means or by allurement. The Act sought to change the definition of “conversion” by which changing from one “denomination” to another of the same religion was excluded from the meaning of “convert.”

What caused resentment among Jains, Buddhists, Muslims and a section of the Christians was that the Bill described Jainism and Buddhism as “denominations” of Hinduism; Shia and Sunni as “denominations” of Islam; and Catholics and Protestants as “denominations” of the Christian religion.

Memoranda against Bill

A Raj Bhavan spokesman said the Governor received a large number of delegations, particularly of Jains and Christians, and memoranda raising objections.

The Jains and Buddhists were opposed to the idea of being considered denominations of Hinduism and wanted the Governor to reject the Bill.

As even the Supreme Court regarded Jainism as a “special religion” formed with the quintessence of the Hindu religion, the Governor felt that the Bill required to be reconsidered because the amendment, if approved, would permit forceful conversion of Jains and Buddhists to Hinduism, the spokesman pointed out.

While Speaker Mangaldas Patel said he was not aware of the returning of the Bill, there was no immediate comment from the State Government.

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