The state Assembly of Himachal Pradesh approved the measure on Saturday that will toughen the state’s anti-conversion law for 2019. The bill raises the maximum punishment to ten years in prison and prohibits a convert from receiving ‘any benefits’ related to the parent’s religion or caste.
A voice vote was used to pass the law with no opposition. According to PTI, the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2022 prohibits ‘mass conversion,’ which is defined as two or more people changing their religion concurrently under duress or coercion.
The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2019, which went into effect less than 18 months ago, was amended by the bill that was introduced by the in-power BJP government on Friday.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of the Congress and Rakesh Singha of the CPI (M) both objected to specific provisions and urged that the bill be referred to a select committee for review. Following the governor’s assent, the bill will become a law.
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