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.