Gandhinagar: After speculations and experiences, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) authorities in Gujarat tabled the Bill proposed to amend the ‘Dharma Swatantrya’ (Freedom of Religion) Act, 2003 on the concluding day of the Budget session on Thursday.
It goals to behave towards forceful non secular conversions, dubbed as “Love Jihad” by a bit of individuals.
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The proceedings of the Budget session grew to become fairly dramatic as Congress legislator Imran Khedawala was seen tearing a replica of the proposed Bill.
Speaking concerning the provisions of the modification Bill, Khedawala stated, “Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja has only mentioned that the daughters of the Hindu community are targeted by men from a specific community. Daughters, be it from any religious community, will always be our daughters. I too have over hundred testimonies of Muslim girls marrying into other religion. I am deeply hurt by the words of the minister”.
The Speaker of the House, Rajendra Trivedi, interrupted Khedawala however he continued talking.
“Nobody can force anybody to marry into a specific religion and in no religion, it is written to forcibly convert anyone to accept that. In this Bill, only one community is specifically targeted with words like ‘Jihadi’. I opposite this Bill and I’m tearing down its copy,” Khedawala stated as he tore the copy of the Bill which he had in his hand.
This was adopted by an uproar from BJP members within the House.
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Reportedly, the invoice can have the supply of imprisonment for 3-5 years and as much as Rs 2 lakh tremendous. In case of the sufferer being a minor, a lady, a Dalit or tribal, the offenders could also be punished with a jail time period of 4-7 years and a tremendous of not lower than Rs 3 lakh.
Reports additionally state that as per this invoice if any organisation is concerned within the crime, or is discovered to be violating the regulation, the person-in-charge could be sentenced to between three to 10 years in jail with the tremendous going as much as Rs 5 lakh.
As with anti-conversion legal guidelines in different states, marriages finished for the aim of such conversion will probably be declared void and the burden of proof shall lie on the accused. Parents, siblings, or another particular person associated by blood to the sufferer can lodge a criticism, and the offences will probably be thought-about non-bailable.
Gujarat is following BJP-ruled said like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in bringing this ‘anti-forceful conversion’ laws.
(With Agency Inputs)
