Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020 to be tabled before MP Cabinet

Bhopal, Dec 22: After Uttar Pradesh, the Madhya Pradesh government is all set to table the Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020 in front of the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet for approval on Tuesday. It will further be brought in the Legislative Assembly session that is to be conducted later this month.

 

 

Earlier this month, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had chaired a high-level meeting on Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020 in Bhopal. The Chief Minister's Office had said that forcing religious conversion on someone will attract 3-10 years of imprisonment and a minimum Rs 50,000 fine. Shivraj Chouhan said the Bill will ensure that no religious conversion is carried out forcefully, or by tempting someone or through marriage.

 

"Forcing religious conversion on someone will attract 3-10 years of imprisonment and a minimum Rs 50,000 fine. Mass religious conversion (2 or more people) will attract 5-10 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 1 Lakh," Madhya Pradesh CMO had said.

 

Any marriage done with the intention of religious conversion will be considered null. Anyone going through religious conversion willingly as well as the concerned religious leader will have to inform the District Magistrate one month in advance, Madhya Pradesh CMO stated.

 

"Proposal of 1-5 yrs of imprisonment and Rs 25,000 minimum fine for violators of Article 3 of the Bill. In case the victim is a minor, woman or belongs to SC-ST communities, 2-10 years of imprisonment and minimum Rs 50,000 fine proposed," the CMO added.

 

The three-day session of the Legislative Assembly is scheduled to begin on December 28.