The Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday doubled the jail term for forced religious conversions for marriage from five years to 10 years ...
The Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday doubled the jail term for forced religious conversions for marriage from five years to 10 years in its draft bill against “love jihad”, PTI reported.
“Love jihad” is a conspiracy theory used by right-wing groups who accuse Muslim men of converting Hindu women by marriage.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said that the Dharm Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill, 2020, would be tabled in the state Assembly during the session beginning from December 28.
The Madhya Pradesh home minister elaborated on the permission required for people wanting to marry outside their faith. “Under this proposed law, the parties concerned will have to submit an application to the district magistrate before the conversion for marriage,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
Mishra added: “It will be mandatory for the person converting to another religion for marriage, and the religious persons involved to obtain permission of the district magistrate concerned a month in advance.” He also said that any offence under the new law would be non-bailable and cognisable.
Mishra said that the bill also included the provision of a five-year jail term for priests or religious gurus who solemnise inter-faith marriages without permission from the district magistrate. He added that the...
