Rajasthan Cabinet Approves Bill To Curb Forced And Fraudulent Religious Conversions

 The Rajasthan Council of Ministers has approved the Bill against forced and fraudulent conversions in the state. The Bill will be brought in the upcoming Assembly session. 

The Minister for Law and Legal Affairs Jogaram Patel said 'to stop attempts at luring or fraudulent conversion, “The Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill-2024” will be brought in the Assembly as there is no specific law in the state against illegal conversion, hence its proposal was considered and approved in the cabinet meeting.'

The Bill will have the provision of legal action in cases of conversion by fraud, force, undue influence etc. The Bill will prohibit the marriages for the purpose of illegal religious conversion as well. The family court will be given powers to declare such marriage invalid. Such acts will be made a non-bailable and cognizable offense.

Patel said that many other states already have the laws against forced conversions, but Rajasthan has no specific law for this.

Notably, a similar law was passed during the first tenure of Vasundhara Raje in 2008, but it was not cleared by the President.