Chennai, India - Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday asserted that the law banning religious conversions through force was no longer in force in the state.
Stating that there were attempts from some quarters to misrepresent the fact, Jayalalithaa said the ordinance to repeal the law was promulgated on May 18, 2004.
The Supreme Court had held that an ordinance to repeal an act would be in force even though it lapsed after six months from the date of promulgation, she said.
Some people had contacted the Government itself to know whether the anti-conversion law was in force, she said.
Following representations from minorities, she had announced on May 13, 2004 that the law would be repealed and an ordinance was promulgated on May 18 that year, she said.
Her Government would protect the interests of minorities at any cost, she said.