Madhya Pradesh amends anti-conversion law, makes it mandatory for citizens to inform authorities before conversion

(July26, 2006):In India, the Madhya Pradesh State assembly on Tuesday, passed a controversial bill amending the state’s Freedom of Religion Act of 1968 to prevent ‘religious conversions by force or allurement’.The bill makes it obligatory for the individual intending to convert, to inform the district magistrate or empowered executive magistrate through a declaration, about his or her intention to voluntarily convert, one month in advance - failing which, the person will be liable to pay a fine of Rs.1,000 or undergo imprisonment. Similarly, the priest failing to inform the district authorities in the prescribed manner, stating the name and address of the converted, and the date and the place of the conversion, will be punished with imprisonment up to one year, or will have to pay a fine of Rs.5,000 or both. After the information given by the priest and the person getting converted, the police will verify the credentials of the priest, or the organisations concerned, that this is not being done by force or with allurement. The amendment making the existing law more stringent was passed by a voice vote without discussion amid an uproar in the house by members of opposition Congress party. Christian leaders fear that the new Bill will embolden the communal forces ,who have been constantly attacking minority Christians, accusing the Christian missionaries in the state of converting tribals forcibly. “Christians are being implicated in false cases. It is facing increasing attacks - over two dozen this year alone - by Hindu outfits, mostly on false charges of converting tribals to Christianity,’ said the president of the Christian Association - Indira Iyengar .