{"id":75133,"date":"2021-01-02T19:22:26","date_gmt":"2021-01-02T13:52:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=75133"},"modified":"2021-01-04T11:57:53","modified_gmt":"2021-01-04T06:27:53","slug":"what-are-the-issues-in-anti-conversion-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/what-are-the-issues-in-anti-conversion-law\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the issues in anti-conversion law?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong> After UP, MP has also promulgated an ordinance related to anti-conversion laws. But UP\u2019s anti-conversion law itself is fraught with many challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religious Ordinance, 2020:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Law\u00a0<strong>prohibits conversion<\/strong>\u00a0from one religion to another by \u201cmisrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, allurement or marriage\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Marriage will be declared \u201cshunya\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>(null and void) if the \u201csole intention\u201d was to \u201cchange a girl\u2019s religion\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">\u00a0The<strong>\u00a0persons\u00a0<\/strong>forced the girl to change religious conversion may<strong>\u00a0face jail term of up to 10 years\u00a0<\/strong>if the girl is minor, a woman from the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, if the person involved religious conversion on mass scale. For the rest of the cases, the jail term ranges from 1 to 5 years.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">The law also provides for the way to conversion. The\u00a0<strong>person willing to convert to other religion would have to give it in writing to the District Magistrate at least two months in advance<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">The\u00a0<strong>burden to proof\u00a0<\/strong>would be on the\u00a0<strong>person who caused the conversion or the person who facilitated it<\/strong>. If any violation is found under this provision, then she\/he will face a jail term from 6 months to 3 year<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">If any person\u00a0<strong>reconverts to his immediate previous religion, then it shall not be deemed to be a violation\u00a0<\/strong>of the ordinance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Read more &#8211; <a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/issue-of-interfaith-marriages-and-laws\/\">What is the term \u2018Love Jihad\u2019 or \u2018Romeo Jihad\u2019? |ForumIAS Blog<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Rationale behind the enactment of anti-conversion laws:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Firstly, the\u00a0<strong>threats of forceful conversion<\/strong>: Force not solely embody physical force to convert a person belongs to one faith to a different one however additionally it includes mental force\u00a0<strong>like<\/strong>\u00a0the \u201cthreat of divine displeasure\u201d. For\u00a0example,\u00a0assume\u00a0if a missionary informs a person that only Christians are allowed entry into heaven \u2013 a core part of the faith \u2013 that could also be construed as \u201cforce\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">The Orissa High Court in\u00a0<strong>Yulitha Hyde v. the State of Orissa<\/strong>case upheld\u00a0this interpretation of \u201cforce\u201d (Physical and mental)<strong>.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Secondly, the<strong>\u00a0problem of Inducement or allurement<\/strong>: Odisha\u2019s anti-conversion law mentions allurement or inducement as an offering of any gift or gratification, either in cash or in-kind, and also includes a grant of any benefit, which is pecuniary or otherwise. <strong>In Rev. Stanislaus vs State of Madhya Pradesh (1977) case<\/strong>\u00a0the court upheld this definition.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Thirdly,\u00a0<strong>Religious conversion is not a\u00a0Fundamental\u00a0Right<\/strong>: Supreme Court in\u00a0<strong>Rev. Stanislaus vs State of Madhya Pradesh\u00a0<\/strong>(1977)\u00a0<strong>case\u00a0<\/strong>held that the\u00a0conversion isn\u2019t a fundamental Right and so could be regulated by the state. Both Odisha and Madhya\u00a0Pradesh\u00a0laws were upheld. This\u00a0act as\u00a0the legal basis for\u00a0other\u00a0such\u00a0laws\u00a0created by other States.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Fourthly, the\u00a0<strong>aim of all anti-conversion\u00a0laws\u00a0<\/strong>enacted by various States\u00a0<strong>are same<\/strong>, such as to constrain the ability of communities and individuals to convert\u00a0from their own\u00a0religion\u00a0to another\u00a0in the name of protecting those sectors of society\u2014namely women, children, backward castes and untouchables\u00a0etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"601\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Court\u2019s judgement in Rev Stanislaus case:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\" data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The freedom of religion enshrined in Article 25 is not guaranteed in respect of one religion only but covers all religions alike&#8230; What is freedom for one is freedom for the other in equal measure and there can, therefore, be no such thing as a fundamental right to convert any person to one\u2019s own religion<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\" data-contrast=\"auto\">Issues with anti-conversion laws<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">The Ordinance route taken by the government for promulgating this law is controversial as the law is not containing any specific urgency for this route.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">For promulgating an ordinance, 3 conditions must be satisfied<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">State Legislature should not be in session;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">circumstances should exist for promulgating an ordinance\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Circumstances must warrant immediate action.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">However, disclosing the circumstances and urgency for the same is not mandatory.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Police do not require a special law to prevent a fraudulent or coercive inter-faith marriage. It can do so under normal circumstances too as in the case of child marriages.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Section 7 authorises the arrest of a person by a police office on receipt of the information that a religious conversion is taking place.<\/span>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Arrest doesn\u2019t require a magistrate order or warrant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Information can be a false news as seen in some of the recent cases.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">In case, a person want to convert but not marry, she\/he require to inform a DM 2 month in advance. Then DM requires the police to inquire the real purpose of conversion and file a report.<\/span>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">It leaves the scope of heavy pressure on the person from all around i.e. police and right groups.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Section 12 of the article puts the burden of proof that it is not through coercion or fraud, on the person causing conversion through marriage or by any other way.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">This law through all the above methods is encroaching upon the right to privacy and violates the right to life, liberty and dignity of the consenting adults.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">These laws promotes patriarchal mind-set, where an adult women is unable to make her own choice in the matters of religion or marriage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>How to deal with the issues?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Firstly,<\/strong>\u00a0the\u00a0<strong>need for uniformity<\/strong>, Article 18 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights mentions everyone has the right to freedom of religion including changing their faith. That is included in the State laws but there is a wide variation in the state laws such as prison terms,\u00a0burden of\u00a0proof, the procedure to get converted,\u00a0etc. Since the\u00a0<strong>conversion falls within the \u201cState list\u201d<\/strong>.\u00a0<strong>Central can frame a model law like Model law\u00a0<\/strong>on contract farming etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Secondly<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>State\u00a0<\/strong>while enacting anti-conversion laws\u00a0<strong>should also respect their Freedom\u00a0<\/strong>to get convert and should\u00a0<strong>not put any vague or ambiguous provisions\u00a0<\/strong>for the person who wanted to convert of\u00a0his own will.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Thirdly,<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>awareness to the people<\/strong>:\u00a0People also need to be educated about the provisions and ways of Forceful conversions,\u00a0Inducement or allurement,\u00a0etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Fourthly<\/strong>, disclosing circumstances leading to adopting the ordinance route should be made mandatory at both state level and central level.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Fifthly,<\/strong>\u00a0according to the\u00a0<strong>USCIRF\u00a0<\/strong>(United States Commission on International Religious Freedom), some observers note that \u201c<strong>anti-conversion laws create a hostile, and on occasion violent, environment for religious minority communities\u00a0<\/strong>since\u00a0they do not require any evidences\u00a0to support\u00a0such\u00a0accusations of wrongdoing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">So,\u00a0the anti-conversion laws also\u00a0<strong>need to include a\u00a0provision\u00a0to mention the valid\u00a0steps\u00a0for conversion\u00a0<\/strong>by minority community institutions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\"><strong>Way forward:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino, serif;\">Conversion in India is legal but not the\u00a0conversion made using\u00a0force\/allurement\/inducement to convert people. Various Court judgments have made conversion laws a legal one but not the\u00a0laws\u00a0which have\u00a0whimsical\/fanciful\/arbitrary laws by State.\u00a0So,\u00a0there is a clear limit for the State to intervene in the\u00a0religious conversion, this can be further demarcated by small but significant steps such as model law, enhancing awareness, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Synopsis: After UP, MP has also promulgated an ordinance related to anti-conversion laws. But UP\u2019s anti-conversion law itself is fraught with many challenges. Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religious Ordinance, 2020: Law\u00a0prohibits conversion\u00a0from one religion to another by \u201cmisrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, allurement or marriage\u201d. Marriage will be declared \u201cshunya\u201d\u00a0(null and void) if&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/what-are-the-issues-in-anti-conversion-law\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">What are the issues in anti-conversion law?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":75134,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130,1451],"tags":[1301,1352],"class_list":["post-75133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-7-pm","category-what","tag-po_3","tag-soc_6","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/religion.jpg?fit=742%2C470&ssl=1","views":{"total":20,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1702727376},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75133"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75133\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/75134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}