India Bill Jails Converts::: Muslims and Christians in India’s Madhya Pradesh state have widely condemned a new legislation that would send those who convert and their religious leaders to prison for failing to obtain permission from authorities at least one month prior to conversion. “It is a total violation of an individual’s human rights. One is free to accept any religion,” Ausaf Shahmiri Khurram, president of All India Muslim Festival Committee, told OnIslam.net. “How can a government or the administration stop someone from accepting the religion of their choice. “This is totally against the Indian constitution.” Introduced as an amendment to Madhya Pradesh’s existing “anti-conversion” law of 1968, the law was approved by the state’s Legislative Assembly a few days ago. Ironically called “Freedom of Religion Acts,” it forbids forcible or fraudulent conversions, but Hindu nationalists have used them to arrest and harass religious minorities, including Muslims and Christians with false accusations. The new bill in Madhya Pradesh requires those who convert to notify government officials after conversion. Moreover, it obligates religious leaders to report the conversions A conversion application, giving details of the venue and date of conversion ceremonies, has to be submitted at the district magistrate’s office a month before conversion. If the prospective converts are minors, women or members of Scheduled Castes, the legislation stipulates a jail term of up to four years and/or a fine of up to 100,000 rupees (US$1,680). “This amendment was necessary to stop conversions taking place by force and allurement. There are people who were converting poor people by offering them money,” said Umashankar Gupta, home minister of Madhya Pradesh state. “This is going to stop such a practice.” Muslims and Christians constitute less than 7% of the total population in Madhya Pradesh. According to Minority Rights Group International, followers of both faiths have been the target of attacks and discrimination in Madhya Pradesh. Christian missionaries have also been accused of converting tribal people and low caste Hindus with force and allurement. This year alone, there have been 9 reported attacks against Christians. The new law was also condemned by Christian groups who have fallen victims recently to repeated attacks from Hindu hardliners. “Hindu hard line groups are going to use this amendment to the law for their own purposes. Without conversion, they have already registered 36 cases against us in the past five years,” Anand Muttungal, Christian Federation coordinator Anand Muttungal, told OnIslam.net. “Two of them have already been rejected by the court. This shows that we are constantly under threat.” The law amendment was also criticized by civil society organizations. “We have freedom to adopt any religion. We will use all means including legal options to safeguard the fundamental rights,” said LS Herdenia, coordinator of secular movements against anti-conversion bill. Hindu nationalists, however, voiced support for the new law, calling for imposing harsher laws to stop conversions for all religions. “I think there is further scope for making this law harsher. Only then would we be able to stop conversions,” said Ashutosh Jasiwal of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a hard line Hindu organization. “These Christian missionaries through their money are converting innocent tribal people. “We must support this new law. How can anyone be allowed to convert by taking money? The government must take every possible measure to stop these conversions,” he added. For Anand Muttungal from the Christian Federation, the law amendment has been passed to please the Hindu majority before the elections due in November this year. “There is no rational behind bringing this amendment this time,” Muttungal said. “Elections are due this year and the sole motive behind this bill is to prove that they care much more about Hindus, and minority communities are a soft target for the government.”
Posted on: Fri, 02 Aug 2013 12:35:30 +0000
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