Uttar Pradesh Amends ‘Love Jihad’ Law, Introduces Life Imprisonment for OffensesUttar Pradesh Amends ‘Love Jihad’ Law, Introduces Life Imprisonment for Offenses The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has introduced the Unlawful Religious Conversion (Amendment) Bill in the state assembly. This bill seeks to impose life imprisonment for offenses related to “love jihad.” Key Provisions of the Amendment * The amended bill significantly increases the penalty for love jihad offenses, making it a heinous crime. * The definition of “love jihad” has been expanded to include additional offenses, such as using false pretenses, coercion, or other improper means to convert someone for marriage. * Offenders in cases involving minors or women from Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) will face stricter punishment, including life imprisonment. * Conversion must be reported to the district magistrate two months in advance, with violations resulting in jail terms. * The bill requires input from the public prosecutor before considering bail applications. Opposition Criticism Samajwadi Party leader Fakhrul Hasan Chand has criticized the amendment, calling it a diversionary tactic by the BJP government. He argued that the existing law already addresses such offenses and that the government should focus on addressing more pressing issues like unemployment and education. Background The concept of “love jihad” refers to the alleged practice of Muslim men targeting non-Muslim women for conversion and marriage. In recent years, this term has gained traction in India, despite the lack of substantial evidence to support its prevalence. The amendment to the Uttar Pradesh law on “love jihad” is part of a larger trend in India towards stricter laws against religious conversion. Critics argue that such laws are discriminatory and target interfaith relationships, especially between Muslim men and non-Muslim women. The amendment is expected to be passed in the assembly through a voice vote on August 2. It will then be reviewed by the Uttar Pradesh Governor before it becomes law.
Lucknow, July 30: The BJP-led Yogi Adityanath government has introduced the Unlawful Religious Conversion (Amendment) Bill in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, which will impose life imprisonment for ‘love jihad’ offences in the state.
The bill significantly increases the penalty for previously defined crimes and broadens the definition of “love jihad” to include additional offenses, all of which can now result in life imprisonment. The amended bill is expected to be passed in the assembly on August 2 by a voice vote.
The current law provides for punishment ranging from one to ten years. Under this law, conversions carried out solely for the purpose of marriage are considered invalid, and conversions achieved by lying and cheating are considered criminal acts. Persons who want to convert voluntarily must inform a magistrate two months in advance. Forced or fraudulent conversions are currently punishable by imprisonment of 1-5 years and a fine of Rs 15,000.
The amended bill proposes stricter punishment, especially for offences involving minors and women from SC/ST communities. Offenders in such cases can face 3-10 years in jail and a fine of Rs 25,000.
Furthermore, the bill stipulates that persons intending to convert must inform the district magistrate two months in advance, with violations punishable by 6 months to 3 years in jail and a minimum fine of Rs 10,000. The bill also requires input from the public prosecutor before considering bail applications. Punishments will be determined based on the sensitivity of the offence, the social status of the women involved and whether they belong to a disadvantaged community.
Samajwadi Party leader Fakhrul Hasan Chand criticised the state government for amending the existing law on ‘love jihad’. Chand accused the BJP of playing negative politics and ignoring critical issues such as unemployment and leaking of examination papers.
“The BJP government, which has brought the love jihad ordinance, already has a law for it. If someone traps someone in his/her love trap with some motive, then there is a law for it, but the BJP only wants to play negative politics. It does not want to address unemployment and paper leaks,” Chand said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter). “The Samajwadi Party understands that these are diversionary tactics. These will not do any good to the people,” he added.
Published: Tuesday, July 30, 2024, 06:19 PM IST
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