The process of introducing a law against illegal religious conversions has been initiated in Rajasthan, the state government informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday, PTI reported.
Until the legislation is enacted, the state will “abide by the law on the subject, guidelines or the directions” passed by the court, the government said in an affidavit.
The affidavit was submitted in the court in connection with a public interest litigation filed in 2022 by advocate and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.
The petition has sought the court’s direction to the Centre and the state governments to take “stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversion and religious conversion by intimidation, threatening, deceivingly luring through gifts and monetary benefits”.
In November 2022, the Supreme Court, while hearing the petition, said that forced religious conversions were a “serious issue”.
A bench of Justices MR Shah and Hima Kohli said that if the allegations of forced religious conversions are found to be true, they can adversely affect the security of the country as well as the freedom of religion and conscience of the citizens.
The bench is also hearing petitions challenging the laws enacted by states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat banning forced and fraudulent religious conversions.
Also read:
- Rajasthan: How ex-student’s elopement, ‘error’ in form led to suspension of 3 Muslim teachers
- Behind Allahabad High Court denying protection to inter-faith couples – UP’s anti-conversion law
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