In India Controversial Gujarat Freedom Of Religion Bill Passed Amidst Protests

(21 Sep. 2006) : The amended version of ‘The Gujarat Freedom of Religion Bill 2006 was passed on Tuesday, September 19, in India’s western State of Gujarat. The new version of the law defines Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism as denominations of the same religion. Gujarat’s political opposition and the Catholic Church will challenge the law, which is seen as part of a wider plan to sow dissension within religious communities. After three years of debates, political quarrels and legal battles, Gujarat’s State Assembly passed the Bill, which is seem by critics, to allegedly to further the Hindutva agenda.

The Bill also clarified the meaning of "forced conversion" stating, "To convert means to make one person renounce one religion and adopt another; but does not include one who renounces one denomination and adopts another denomination of the same religion.” In other words, it means that there would be no government intervention if a person wishes to change from one sect to another as in from Shia to Sunni or from Protestant to Catholic. Many have raised their voice against this Bill including the opposition which strongly protested against the passage of the bill.

For the opposition Congress Party, the anti-conversion law is a political ploy by Gujarat’s Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, who is planning a sectarian strategy ahead of next year’s federal elections.

Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes, secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India said, “We will join the bishops of Gujarat and go to the state governor to demand he not sign this draconian bill into law.” The Bill is extremely draconian and unconstitutional," said Jesuit-activist Father Cedric Prakash.