Gujarat govt studying anti-conversion laws of UP, MP: Patel

The Gujarat government isexamining laws enacted by Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh tocurb ''forced religious conversions by marriage'', said DeputyChief Minister Nitin Patel on Friday.

Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, both ruled by theBJP, have brought religious freedom laws to stop conversionthrough marriage or by any other fraudulent means.

These laws against inter-faith marriages as an allegedploy for conversion provide for long prison terms and heftyfines for violators.

''Some people indulge in trapping or alluring orcheating Hindu girls to marry them. But we have seen that mostof the timesuch girls regret taking this step as they andtheir families are never happy in such situations.

''This also creates division in the society,'' Patelsaid in reply to a question.

Patel was speaking to reporters after attending anevent organised by the VHP here to start the drive for raisingdonations for the upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya.

''Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh governments haveformed laws to stop this kind of activities so that there isno tension between different communities,'' he said.

''The Gujarat government has also received many suchrepresentations from different organisations and people,'' theDeputy Chief Minister said.

''We are studying the effectiveness, long-term effectsand legal standing of the laws made by UP and MP. The Gujaratgovernment will take a decision at an appropriate timeregarding bringing such a law,'' he said.

Patel said the fund collection drive is a historicexercise which will connect every Hindu with the constructionof the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)