Himachal Pradesh partially repeals its anti-conversion law
(September 01, 2012) In a landmark decision, the High Court of northern India’s Himachal
Pradesh state has struck down parts of the Freedom of Religion Act 2006, the state's
anti-conversion law. Speaking to AsiaNews, Card Oswald Gracias, president of Catholic
Bishops' Conference of India, said he was "very satisfied" because the ruling "upheld
and protected the constitution" and recognised that everyone has "a right to choose
his or her religion." More specifically, the High Court repealed Rules 3, 4 and 5
of the law leaving the rest in place. Rule 4 made it punishable for a person intending
to convert not to give prior notice to the district magistrate 30 days before the
ceremony. Anyone who failed to give prior notice would be fined up to a thousand rupees
(US$ 18). Such a rule did not apply to people who wanted to "return" to his or her
religion (i.e. Hinduism), usually in mass ceremonies organised by Hindu fundamentalists.
Rules 3 and 5 (which are directly linked) required that the state investigate religious
conversions, without defining when, how and who would investigate. Cardinal Gracias
who is Archbishop of Bombay said, “Local officials and administrations use such laws
to torment and persecute people who want to exercise their freedom of conscience,
and have often been used for violent acts against minorities." He hopes the ruling
by the Himachal Pradesh High Court will be an example for other Indian states that
have anti-conversion laws. Other states that have anti-conversion laws are Arunachal
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.