UP's Ordinance Against Forcible Religious Conversions Is Official Now After Governor's Assent
Amid the widespread criticism and apprehension about the practicality and legality of it, Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel gave assent to an ordinance against forcible or fraudulent religious conversions, which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and fine of up to Rs 50,000 under different categories.
Anti-love jihad law
The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, popularly known as the anti-love jihad law was promulgated four days after the Yogi Adityanath government had approved a draft of the ordinance which also curbs religious conversions only for the sake of marriage.
According to the ordinance, a marriage will be declared "null and void" if the conversion of a woman is solely for that purpose and those wishing to change their religion after marriage need to apply to the district magistrate.
It also has a provision under which if someone returns to their original religion, it shall not be deemed a conversion.
While the onus to prove that the conversion has not been done forcibly will lie on the person accused of the act and the convert, it said.
Hefty fines
In case of contravention of the law, the ordinance says that the court shall grant appropriate compensation payable by the accused to the victim of conversion which may extend to a maximum of Rs 5 lakh in addition to the fine.
The ordinance says no person shall convert, either directly or indirectly from one religion to another by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage nor shall any person abet, convince or conspire such conversion.
An aggrieved person, his/her parents, brother, sister, or any other person who is related to him/her by blood, marriage or adoption may lodge an FIR about such conversion, according to the ordinance.
If those previously convicted under the ordinance are caught again for the same offence, they shall be subjected to double punishment, it said.
The ordinance is likely to be the template for similar laws proposed by other BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Karnataka.
Love Jihad has been for a long time a fringe conspiracy theory in which Muslim men were involved in organized religious conversion of Hindu girls, through marriage.
Despite several allegations, the NIA and the Central government have repeatedly maintained that there is no Love Jihad.
Recently an SIT that looked into alleged Love Jihad cases in Kanpur found 11 cases of cheating but stated that there was no evidence to suggest a conspiracy or foreign funding or organizational backing for the youths as alleged by some Hindu outfits.
