UP Assembly passes bill against ‘love jihad’; ‘Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Bill’ now a law

The state cabinet had earlier approved the draft ordinance to curb forcible or “dishonest” religious conversions, including those for the sake of marriage, which could land violators in jail for up to 10 years.

Man kills woman over failed love affair

The Unlawful Conversion bill has provisions that can land offenders in jail for upto five years. Apart from the jail term, the ordinance also has provision of Rs 15,000 penalty for forceful religious conversion. For conversions of minors and women of SC/ST community, there will be a penalty of Rs 25,000 penalty and jail term.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had declared his government would come out with a law to deal with ‘love jihad’ and used the Hindu funeral chant ‘Ram Naam Satya Hai’ to threaten those who don’t respect their daughters and sisters.

Several states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand, already have in place “anti-conversion laws” that regulate religious conversion.