03-19-2008, 04:08 PM
<b>Rajasthan revives anti-conversion Bill</b>
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Jaipur, March 18: Vasundhara Raje Government has reintroduced the Freedom of Religion Bill in the Assembly, which is likely to come up for discussion on Friday.
The new Bill gives the Government the power to cancel registration of societies and trusts, where it is found that the âfunds of the body have been used, or are being used or are contemplated to be used for conversion; or the body is involved in securing conversion.â
The Raje Government had first introduced the Rajasthan Dharm Swatantrya Bill in 2006, which was returned unsigned by the then Governor of Rajasthan, Pratibha Patil, as she found it affecting the Fundamental Rights of a person. The Cabinet again sent the Bill to the Governor without making any amendments. The Governor, after holding it back for almost a year, forwarded it to President APJ Abdul Kalam in June 2007.
The 2006 Bill was introduced in the Assembly after Hindu groups began <b>opposing a Christian organisation â Emmanuel Mission â in Kota.</b> The Raje Government had then claimed that the Bill had been introduced to stop religious conversion by means of force, allurement or pressure.
Even as the fate of the 2006 Bill remains undecided, the Raje Government has now introduced the âRajasthan Dharm Swatantrya Bill 2008â with minor amendments. The most noticeable change in the new Bill is that it is mandatory for a person intending to convert to give a 30-day notice to District Magistrate.
As per the new Bill, the respective District Magistrate will hold the necessary enquiry to ensure that the person is not converting under any pressure. On the other hand, a person converting back to his original religion does not require to give a notice.
Like the 2006 Bill, the minimum punishment will be two years simple imprisonment and the maximum punishment could be five years and a fine, which could extend upto Rs 25,000. Besides, the new Bill has a provision to punish even minors, which would be a minimum of one year and a maximum of three. <b>Moreover, it has a provision to cancel the registration of societies and trusts who are found involved in conversion activities.</b> [Right step. Dismantle the group that tries to fraudulently convert people]
<b>What the Bill proposes</b>
â¢It is mandatory for a person intending to convert to give a 30-day notice to District Magistrate.
â¢The DM will then hold an enquiry to ensure that the person is not converting under any pressure.
â¢However, a person reverting to his original religion does not require to give a notice
⢠The registration of societies and trusts found to be involved in conversion will be cancelled.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Jaipur, March 18: Vasundhara Raje Government has reintroduced the Freedom of Religion Bill in the Assembly, which is likely to come up for discussion on Friday.
The new Bill gives the Government the power to cancel registration of societies and trusts, where it is found that the âfunds of the body have been used, or are being used or are contemplated to be used for conversion; or the body is involved in securing conversion.â
The Raje Government had first introduced the Rajasthan Dharm Swatantrya Bill in 2006, which was returned unsigned by the then Governor of Rajasthan, Pratibha Patil, as she found it affecting the Fundamental Rights of a person. The Cabinet again sent the Bill to the Governor without making any amendments. The Governor, after holding it back for almost a year, forwarded it to President APJ Abdul Kalam in June 2007.
The 2006 Bill was introduced in the Assembly after Hindu groups began <b>opposing a Christian organisation â Emmanuel Mission â in Kota.</b> The Raje Government had then claimed that the Bill had been introduced to stop religious conversion by means of force, allurement or pressure.
Even as the fate of the 2006 Bill remains undecided, the Raje Government has now introduced the âRajasthan Dharm Swatantrya Bill 2008â with minor amendments. The most noticeable change in the new Bill is that it is mandatory for a person intending to convert to give a 30-day notice to District Magistrate.
As per the new Bill, the respective District Magistrate will hold the necessary enquiry to ensure that the person is not converting under any pressure. On the other hand, a person converting back to his original religion does not require to give a notice.
Like the 2006 Bill, the minimum punishment will be two years simple imprisonment and the maximum punishment could be five years and a fine, which could extend upto Rs 25,000. Besides, the new Bill has a provision to punish even minors, which would be a minimum of one year and a maximum of three. <b>Moreover, it has a provision to cancel the registration of societies and trusts who are found involved in conversion activities.</b> [Right step. Dismantle the group that tries to fraudulently convert people]
<b>What the Bill proposes</b>
â¢It is mandatory for a person intending to convert to give a 30-day notice to District Magistrate.
â¢The DM will then hold an enquiry to ensure that the person is not converting under any pressure.
â¢However, a person reverting to his original religion does not require to give a notice
⢠The registration of societies and trusts found to be involved in conversion will be cancelled.