Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Approved Religious Freedom Bill 2020

Recently, the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has given approval to the Dharma Swatantrya Bill 2020 or Religious Freedom Bill 2020. The bill has been approved to keep a check on forceful religious conversions for marriage and through fraud.

Key Points

• As per the Dharma Swatantrya Bill 2020 passed by the state, there will be a provision of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh for forceful religious conversion for marriage or any such conversion by fraud.
• Any person converting for the sole purpose of marriage (without permission) will be liable for the punishment as per the provisions of the bill. Also, such a marriage will not be valid.
• Any person who wishes to convert for any reason will have to apply before the district administration before 2 months of the conversion.
• The bill will be presented in the Madhya Pradesh state Assembly now.
• After the approval from the state Assembly, the Religious Freedom Bill 2020 will replace the Religious Freedom Act of 1968.

Similar Bill

Before this, the UP government has passed a similar anti-conversion law. The law is named as Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance, 2020.  The law also has imprisonment up to 10 years in case of forceful religious conversions.