The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly has passed a bill to criminalise religious conversion in the northern Indian state.
The Bill, which was passed on 30th August intends to extend a law that was introduced in 2006 which criminalised conversion by “fraud,” “force” and “inducement,” by adding “coercion” to its terms.
Inducement has also been redefined under the new bill as the “offer of any temptation in the form of any gift or gratification or material benefit, either in cash or kind or employment, free education in reputed school run by any religious body, easy money, better lifestyle, divine pleasure or otherwise.”
Freedom charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide have raised concerns over the wording of the amended terms, saying their loose definition could leave them open to misuse.
Anyone found attempting to convert a person from one religion to another in the Himalayan region could face up to seven years in prison, compared to three years under the old law.
The proposed law would also not recognise the marriage of two people from previously different religions, where a conversion has taken place either before or after their wedding day.
CSW’s Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas has spoken out against the new legislation, saying: “This Bill is a clear expression of the state’s intention to restrict the right to freedom of religion or belief. As a multi-ethnic nation made up of diverse religious groups, India must respect the right to freedom of thought,…
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