Lucknow: Even as PILs are pending at the Allahabad High Court, the Yogi Adityanath government may table the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance 2020 to enact a law during the forthcoming budget session of the State Legislature, beginning February 18.
The Yogi Adityanath Cabinet on Tuesday cleared the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021 after making an amendment.
Uttar Pradesh was the first to pass an Ordinance on November 24, 2020 to make a law against love-jihad by passing the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance 2020. Governor Anandiben Patel had promulgated the ordinance on November 18, 2020.
Popularly known as love-jihad law, it prohibits girl’s religious conversion for the sole purpose of marriage and made such forced conversions punishable with a jail term of up to 10 years and a penalty up to Rs 25,000.
The law also made it mandatory to submit an application to the district magistrate two months in advance if someone has convert their religion for marriage.
Though other states like Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka followed the UP love-jihad law but a lot of hue and cry was raised over the ordinance by opposition parties and social groups claiming it to be a violation of Article 25 which allows freedom to profess, practice and propagate religion to all citizens.
Several PILs were filed at the Allahabad High Court seeking a stay on the law but the High Court had refused to grant stay. On an application of the state government, the Supreme Court had refused to intervene when matter was pending at the High Court.
