Lucknow: The UP Assembly is set to discuss and pass a bill on Tuesday that seeks to amend the Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.
The amendment aims to increase the maximum punishment to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh for violators. Under the amended provisions, the most serious category of crime will include threatening, attacking, marrying, promising to marry or conspiring for conversion, as well as trafficking anyone with the intention of conversion.
The amended bill also provides for 20-year imprisonment or life imprisonment in such cases, as opposed to the previous maximum punishment of 10 years and a fine of Rs 50,000. The bill was introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna on Monday and allows for anyone to register an FIR in conversion cases.
Previously, the presence of the victim, parents, and siblings was necessary to file a complaint or give information in such cases, but now anyone can report it to the police in writing. The amendment also states that these cases will only be heard by sessions courts and that bail will not be granted without giving an opportunity to the public prosecutor. Additionally, all crimes related to this bill have been made non-bailable.
This initiative was taken by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to combat ‘love jihad’, a term used by Hindu outfits for alleged forcible conversions. The bill was first issued as an ordinance in November 2020 and was later passed by both houses before being enacted as The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act-2021.
