UP Assembly Passes Stricter Law Against Forced Conversion

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly has passed the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024, enforcing harsher penalties for fraudulent or forced conversions. The new law includes life imprisonment and has provisions for non-bailable offenses. This initiative aims to combat so-called 'love jihad'.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday adopted the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which enforces up to life imprisonment for illicit or coerced religious conversions.

Previously, the maximum punishment for deceptive marriage leading to conversion was a 10-year term with a Rs 50,000 fine. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna tabled the bill on Monday.

The amendment stipulates severe penalties such as a 20-year sentence or life imprisonment for those involved in threatening, coercing, or trafficking individuals for conversion. Additionally, the revised law allows any person to report conversion cases, and trials will be held in Sessions Courts with non-bailable offenses.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spearheaded this measure to counter 'love jihad', a term used by some Hindu groups referring to alleged forced conversions through marriage. An ordinance to curb forced conversions was issued in November 2020, followed by the enactment of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act-2021.

(With inputs from agencies.)