On Monday (January 3), the Rajasthan government introduced a stringent anti-conversion bill in the state assembly. The bill, which seeks to curb religious conversions through coercion, inducement, or marriage, will be debated before being put to a vote. If passed, it will impose strict penalties, including imprisonment ranging from three to ten years, for individuals found guilty of converting others unlawfully.
Under the proposed legislation, marriages conducted for the sole purpose of religious conversion will be deemed illegal and categorised as ‘Love Jihad.’
Additionally, any such marriage can be annulled by a family court. The bill classifies religious conversion through fraudulent means, inducement, or force as a non-bailable offence, making it harder for the accused to secure immediate relief.
The bill mandates that any person intending to change their religion must notify the district collector at least 60 days in advance. Failure to comply with this requirement could lead to legal consequences. Moreover, if an individual is found to have been converted through manipulation or deception, they will be entitled to a compensation of up to Rs 5 lakh, which the accused will be required to pay.
This is not the first time Rajasthan has attempted to enact a law to curb religious conversions. In 2008, the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government had introduced a similar bill, but it failed to receive the necessary approval from the President. Now, the Bhajanlal Sharma government has reintroduced the legislation with tougher provisions to ensure stricter enforcement.
In a development, the Rajasthan government is also contemplating new legal provisions for live-in relationships, which could be included in the final version of the bill. The government is reportedly considering mandatory registration for live-in couples, a move that aims to regulate such relationships and prevent potential misuse of legal loopholes.
Additionally, new conditions and legal requirements may be introduced for interfaith marriages. These provisions are expected to be modelled after existing laws in Uttarakhand, where stringent regulations on religious conversions through marriage have already been implemented.
The issue of religious conversion laws in Rajasthan has a history dating back to the Vasundhara Raje government’s tenure in 2006 and 2008. During that period, the Rajasthan Assembly had passed the Religious Freedom Bill twice, but it was ultimately stalled by the then-UPA-led central government, which refused to grant approval.
Now, the current BJP government in Rajasthan is revisiting those provisions and incorporating them into the new bill. With a strong majority in the assembly, the Bhajanlal Sharma administration is expected to push the bill through with ease, although legal challenges from opposition parties and civil rights groups are likely.
