India's updated and worse anti-conversion law

Compass Direct : INDIA - STATE TIGHTENS CONTROLS ON CONVERSIONS: "India - Tuesday July 25, 2006
STATE TIGHTENS CONTROLS ON CONVERSIONS
House passes amendment even as current law leads to violence against Christians.

July 25 (Compass Direct News) – In spite of a national minority panel report confirming violence against Christians in the north-central state of Madhya Pradesh, the state government today passed an amendment making stricter the “anti-conversion” law that has increased persecution of Christians.

The amendment, introduced in the House assembly on Friday (July 21), requires clergy and “prospective converts” to notify authorities of the intent to change religion one month before a “conversion ceremony.” In its current form, the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act of 1968 requires that notice be sent to the district magistrate within seven days of conversion.

The advance information must state the name and address of the person converting, along with the date and venue of the conversion ceremony, after which authorities will decide whether the conversion was “forced” or “by allurement.”

The penalty for failing to notify the administration remains imprisonment of up to one year, or a fine of up to 1,000 rupees (US$21), or both.

Presented by state Home Minister Nagendra Singh, the amendment was passed by a voice vote without discussion amid an uproar in the House by members of opposition Congress Party, according to Indo-Asian News Service. It must be signed by the governor before becoming law.

“This violates the fundamental right of the people, as it is the government which would decide if a person can be converted or not,” Indira Iyengar, member of the Madhya Pradesh Minorities Commission, told Compass.

She questioned the necessity of the amendment. “Despite the fact that numerous cases have been lodged against Christians on charges of conversion, not even a single person has been convic"

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