Indian Government plans to severely restrict religious conversion freedoms
from Evangelical Fellowship of India:
The Jharkhand government cleared the draft of the “Jharkhand Freedom of Religion Bill 2017” also known as “Jharkhand Dharma Swatantra Adhiniyam”, on 2nd August 2017. The Bill will be tabled in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the Legislative Assembly which begins on 8th August 2017.
The Bill is to come into force from its date of issuance.
Section 3 of the draft says, “No person shall attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religion / religious faith to another by use of force or by allurement or by any fraudulent means, nor shall any person abet any such conversion.”
Violation of the terms of the above section shall invite imprisonment up to three years or Rupees 50,000 or both. In case the violation involves a minor, a woman or a person from the SC/ST community, the prison term would be up to four years and the penalty up to Rupees 1 lakh.
Section 5 of the draft also makes prior permission mandatory for conversion and demands that the person who converts any other person from one religion / religious faith to another, either by performing the ceremony himself for such conversion as a religious priest or takes part directly or indirectly in such ceremony shall take prior permission for such proposed conversion from the District Magistrate by applying in such form as may be prescribed by rules.
See also: Senior Indian Christians call for action against surge of religion-based violence, Open Letter
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