JAIPUR: In a controversial move, aimed at curbing alleged cases of ‘Love Jihad’ and religious conversion, the BJP government in Rajasthan is planning to bring in a fresh piece of legislation. Led by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, the state government has decided to withdraw the Rajasthan Religious Freedom Bill of 2008.
This bill was passed 16 years ago during the first tenure of former CM Vasundhara Raje’s government but despite being passed by the state assembly, it did not receive the President's approval and therefore never became law.
Now, in a move inspired by its Hindutva ideology, the Bhajan Lal government is all set to not only scrap Raje’s Anti-Conversion bill but to replace it with a far stronger piece of legislation that claims to curb cases of religious conversion, including those related to 'Love Jihad' raked up by Hindutva forces across the country in recent years.
The 2008 bill passed by the Vasundhara dispensation, required individuals to obtain the approval of the district collector before converting to another religion and prescribed a five-year prison sentence for those found guilty of unlawful conversions. That bill had provoked quite a controversy in Rajasthan but was ultimately passed in the state assembly where the BJP had a decisive majority.
The Home Department of Rajasthan has initiated the process to withdraw the bill, claiming thart there are an increasing number of cases of religious conversions in the state. The Bhajan government intends to introduce a new bill to address this issue more effectively. Sources in the Home Department have revealed that the existing bill could not be enacted into law and that in turn has prompted the need for its withdrawal.
Currently, there are no specific laws in Rajasthan to regulate religious conversions, though the state government has issued guidelines to manage the situation. The proposed new bill includes stricter provisions to deter conversions by inducement, fraud, or force.
Highly placed sources reveal that the key features of the new bill may include:
A three-year imprisonment and a fine of ₹25,000 for conversions carried out through greed, fraud, or force.
A five-year imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹50,000 for converting minors, women, or individuals belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes.
A requirement for individuals intending to convert to inform the district collector 30 days in advance. This notification requirement also applies to individuals returning to their original faith.
The state government argues that its decision is motivated by its commitment to addressing the issue of forced and fraudulent religious conversions while ensuring that the legislative framework is robust and enforceable.
In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the ruling BJP lost 11 seats in Rajasthan though in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls the Saffron Brigade had won all 25 seats in the desert state.