Indian state of Jharkand passes anti-conversion bill
August 17, 2017
Jharkhand was become the 7th state in India to enact legislation to limit religious conversions, despite heavy opposition from religious-freedom advocates.
The legislation—which provides penalties for seeking conversions by force, fraud, or enticement—was pushed through the Jharkhand legislature by Hindu nationalists, who accuse Christians of luring people to the faith. An opposition-party leader remarked that the bill was unnecessary, since India’s law already penalizes “those indulging in coercive conversion or using allurement.”
Indian journalist (and occasional CWN correspondent) Anto Akkara remarked that the quick passage of the legislation demonstrated “the growing arrogance of the Hindu nationalists.”
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Further information:
- Jharkhand the latest Indian state to pass ‘anti-conversion bill’ (World Watch Monitor)
- Indian cardinal: ‘Forced conversions do not exist’ (CWN, 8/2)
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