Indian Christians seek repeal of new anti-conversion bill
The proposed law by northern Uttar Pradesh state recommends harsher punishment for religious conversion.
Updated: August 21, 2024 10:59 AM GMT
A delegation of Christian leaders has urged the governor of a northern Indian state to repeal a proposed law saying it can be misused to target religious minorities under the pretext of preventing fraudulent conversions.
The Uttar Pradesh state government passed the bill restricting religious conversions on July 30. The northern state is ruled by the right-wing Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The United Christian Forum (UCF) delegation, in its Aug. 19 memorandum to Governor Anandiben Patel, pointed to “the broad and ambiguous language” in the proposed law, adding that it may “embolden individuals and groups to target religious minorities.”
The governor is the constitutional head of the state who functions on the aid and advice of the council of ministers. To become a law, every bill passed by the state legislature must receive the governor’s assent.
The eight-member UCF delegation said that the terms used in the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024, like “force, fraud, and allurement,” are undefined and vague.
“For instance, any collective gathering of Christians is demonized and portrayed as an attempt to allure people to Christianity,” it said.
The memorandum stressed that existing laws, such as the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, as well as criminal and civil laws, already address the issue of conversions by fraud, coercion, or force.
The new Bill imposes disproportionately severe penalties, such as the provision of 20 years or life imprisonment if convicted for religious conversion. Earlier, the maximum punishment provided for was 10 years.
The memorandum said researchers have documented how anti-conversion laws have been weaponized to target religious minorities, including Christians.
Vigilante mobs, often supported by local police officials, brutalize Christians for holding house prayer meetings, leading to the registration of false cases, which linger for many years and result in growing harassment and legal costs.
All this results “in undue violation of the right to life and liberty,” it stated.
The new Bill also permits any third person to register a first information report when the existing law requires that the victim or blood relatives give information or file a complaint in a conversion case.
The new provision allowing “any person” to complain “widens the door to accusations driven by personal, political, or communal biases, leading to a wave of violence and harassment against these [minority] communities,” the memorandum stated.
UCF national convener A C Michael said the delegation urged the governor to “suspend” the new Bill in its current form.
The Christian lay leader told UCA News that in its memorandum, the UCF recommended that the Uttar Pradesh government focus on initiatives that strengthen harmony and promote tolerance among different religious groups rather than causing tensions through punitive legislation.
It further suggested public awareness campaigns to educate citizens about their constitutional rights and the importance of respecting diversity.
It was also suggested that police personnel and judicial officers be trained to safeguard religious freedoms, handle complaints ethically, and conduct unbiased investigations.
The UCF also urged setting up support systems for innocent people who are wrongfully accused and jailed in the form of psychological counseling and legal assistance to deal with the trauma and financial impact of such illegal actions.
