Gujarat Assembly passes Bill penalising forcible or fraudulent religious conversion by marriage

Gujarat Assembly has passed the Freedom of Religion Act 2003 Bill that penalizes forcible or fraudulent religious conversion by marriage. The new law has provision for three to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to five lakh rupees if the accused is found guilty. The Bill amends a 2003 Act and seeks to curb the emerging trend in which women are lured to marriage for the purpose of religious conversion.  

Minister



of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja has said, this law will stop people from luring Hindu girls into marriage with the intention of religious conversion. Opposition Congress party opposed the bill in the house. The Bill was passed in the house by majority.

Similar ‘love jihad’ laws have already been enacted in other BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.