Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 passed in Assembly

Bhopal, Mar 08: The Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, that replaced an ordinance brought to check religious conversions through marriage or by any other fraudulent means was passed in the Assembly on Monday.

The law regulates inter-faith marriages and prescribes a punishment of two to 10 years in prison and a fine of Rs 50, 000 for forcing women to convert their religion.

As many as 23 cases were registered under an anti-conversion law in Madhya Pradesh within a month of it coming into force.

Early last month, the BJP government promulgated the Freedom of Religion Ordinance, 2020, which penalises religious conversions by misrepresentation, allurement, use of threat of force, undue influence, coercion, marriage or by any other fraudulent means.

Governor Anandiben Patel on January 9 gave assent to the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Ordinance, 2020, which penalised religious conversions through fraudulent means, including those for the sake of marriage.

The ordinance penalised religious conversions by misrepresentation, allurement, use of threat of force, undue influence, coercion, marriage or by any other fraudulent means.