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- Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami Cabinet Decisions: Forced Conversion Law, High Court Nainital
Dehradun4 hours ago
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In the Uttarakhand cabinet meeting, strict changes have been made in the religion conversion law. Forced conversion has been kept in the category of non-bailable offence. Under this, the culprit will be jailed for 10 years. Forced conversion and love-jihad have been banned in the state.
A total of 26 resolutions were passed in this meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. It was also decided that the Uttarakhand High Court would be shifted from Nainital to Haldwani.
In 2018, the government passed the Freedom of Religion Act
Chief Minister Dhami had said last year that he had ordered the Uttarakhand police to take strict action against forced conversions and love-jihad. Then he had also said that the state government would make the law against forced conversions more stringent.
In April 2018, the Uttarakhand government passed the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018. Under this, cases of forceful or fraudulent conversion have been considered as non-bailable offenses and can lead to imprisonment of up to 5 years.
In the cabinet meeting, a decision was also taken to shift the Uttarakhand High Court from Nainital to Haldwani.
Two days ago, the Supreme Court called religious conversion a serious issue.
On November 14, the Supreme Court termed conversion by intimidation or greed as a serious matter. During the hearing on a petition on Monday, the court said that forced conversions can be not only against the right to religious freedom but also a threat to the security of the country.
On behalf of the Center, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that such cases of religious conversion are seen more in tribal areas. On this, the court asked him that if it is so then what the government is doing. After this, the court asked the Center to clear the steps to be taken in this matter. The court also said that conversion is legal under the Constitution, but forced conversion is not.
A bench of Justices MR Shah and Hima Kohli directed the central government to take strict action against forced conversions. Also asked to file a reply by November 22 on the petition filed regarding the demand of the law. The next hearing of the case will be on November 28. Click here to read the full news…