Rajasthan's Legislative Push Against Forceful Religious Conversions

The BJP government in Rajasthan plans to introduce a bill to curb forceful religious conversions. The legislation, pending in the Assembly, requires a 60-day prior application for religious conversion, reviewed by a district magistrate. It includes penalties for forced conversions. The Cabinet also approved multiple policies, including a new MSME policy.

The Rajasthan government, led by the BJP, is preparing to introduce a significant bill aimed at curbing forceful religious conversions in the state. This legislative proposal, announced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel, is set to be discussed in the upcoming Assembly session.

Approved during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bajanlal Sharma, the bill mandates that individuals seeking to change their religion must submit an application to the district magistrate 60 days in advance. The district magistrate is tasked with ensuring that conversions are not forceful or influenced by temptation.

The bill outlines a range of penalties for forced conversions, spanning from one to ten years of imprisonment, along with various fines. In addition to this legislative move, the Cabinet also endorsed several policy initiatives, including a new MSME policy and a 'one district, one product' policy.