Rajasthan Assembly passes Anti-Conversion Bill

Jaipur, Apr 7 (UNI) The Rajasthan Assembly today passed the Anti-Conversion Bill-2006 through a voice-vote.

After state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria assured the House that the Bill titled 'Rajasthan Dharma Swatantraya Bill 2006' is not against any person or religion but intends to make 'forceful conversions' and allurement in religious conversions punishable, the Bill was passed on the last day of the Budget session.

The Bill was introduced in the State Assembly last week.

Mr Kataria said the state government will not object if any person wants to covert according to his own will but is against any unlawful conversions in the name of poverty and illiteracy.

Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh have already stringent rules to stop religious conversions as they have already passed the Anti-Conversion Bill.

Rajasthan becomes the sixth state in the country to pass this Bill.

According to this Bill, a person can be sentenced to simple imprisonment of not less than two years if converts or attempts to convert, either directly or otherwise any person by force, allurement or fraudulent means.'' There is also a provision for a fine upto Rs 50,000. Any offence under the new law will be cognizable and non-bailable.

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