The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has held that the Anti Conversion Bill introduced in the Rajasthan assembly in February during the budget session earlier this year, is not effective enough, and suggested some amendments in the bill.
Photo: SNS
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has held that the Anti Conversion Bill introduced in the Rajasthan assembly in February during the budget session earlier this year, is not effective enough, and suggested some amendments in the bill.
Talking to mediapersons here on Monday, VHP President Alok Kumar said, “I have been here for past five days and during the sojourn here, I met five prominent saints with whom talks revolved on issues like forced conversions, ‘Ghar Vapasi’, cow protection and family values. Sants were worried about attempts made for conversions.”
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The VHP chief stressed upon passage of a stringent anti-Conversion law in Rajasthan, saying ”I met state Chief Minister on the first day of current visit and conveyed to him our demand of a stringent and effective law.”
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”I conveyed to the CM that the bill that was introduced in the assembly during last session has certain provisions that are likely to make the law ineffective. For instance, the bill has a provision that FIR against act of conversion can be lodged only by a family member, however, what will happen if the entire family has converted into Christianity”, Kumar said.
Hence, the Bill requires some amendments, he said, adding, “We (VHP) have suggested some amendments to the Chief Minister and I believe that VHP and the state government are on the same page so far amendments are concerned”.
He hoped that a stringent and effective law would be legislated by the state assembly in the next session.
Kumar said that rate of population growth in the country has declined from 2.1 Total Fertility Rate (TFR) to 1.9 TFR and contrary to this, the corresponding data pertaining to Muslims is 0.9 per cent higher than Hindus.
Rajasthan Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar introduced the bill in the state assembly here on February 3, 2025 for legislating the anti-conversion law, with the aim to prohibit unlawful and forced religious conversions.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Joga Ram Patel had claimed (in February 2025) that the bill will offer effective deterrence against conversions by way of fear, promise deceit or by deceitfully luring for marriage with pressure for conversion. This new law will have provision of stringent punishment with rigorous jail terms, Patel has said.
Some organisations indulge in such conversations, and the law will offer deterrence to such acts, he said.
The State Cabinet had approved two months back the draft bill of “The Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act” to offer deterrence against so called “love jihad”.
The proposed law will have specific provisions against attempts for “love jihad”. The provision will empower the family courts to declare null and void a marriage, if any of the two wedlocked parties found guilty of marrying a bride or the groom from different faith or religion with the intent of converting his or her spouse into their own faith.
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