Raipur, India - Adding to the controversy over conversions, Chhattisgarh's BJP-led government has proposed hefty penalties for those who change their religion without informing the state.
The state home minister Ram Vichar Netam hopes the move will go a long way in preventing people from switching faiths, and will get more teeth when a Bill is adopted in the state legislature.
Netam told TOI the department was examining relevant laws in other states, particularly Tamil Nadu. A draft Bill has already been discussed by the cabinet and may be introduced in the monsoon session of the state assembly.
Under the proposal, those breaching the law, including converting people forcibly, would be fined Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh and could face jail-sentences of up to five years.
Rajasthan, which also has a BJP government, is trying to bring in a law banning conversions. But the anti-conversion law is yet to receive the governor's assent. Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Orissa also have such laws.
Netam said BJP president Rajnath Singh had issued a directive to the state government to introduce a legislation with strict provisions against conversions. He had issued this directive to chief minister Raman Singh when he had visited Raipur soon after taking over as party president.
Under the proposed legislation, those converting to other religions will have to inform the concerned DM a month before the date of change.
Chattisgarh has a law on conversions which gives people a month to inform the state after the change of religion. Two nuns and a priest had been convicted in Raigarh on charges of forcible conversion of religion three years back.
The only problem with the proposed legislation is that it may cover the 'Ghar Vapsi' (home coming) the re-conversion drive started by BJP leader Dilip Singh Judeo to bring back Christians into the Hindu fold.
Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion, which allows citizens to switch faiths. Law and religious affairs minister Brijmohan Agarwal said a law that put curbs on conversions would not contravene the Constitution.