Religious Freedom Bill, 2020 approved by Madhya Pradesh Government

Madhya Pradesh cabinet approves Religious Freedom Bill, 2020

The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has recently approved the Religious Freedom Bill, 2020. Under this bill, there will be a fine of Rs 25,000 and imprisonment of 1 to 5 years for changing the religion forcefully. 

Major provisions of the Bill:

This bill is brought to replace the Religious Freedom Act, 1968. 

This will be the most stringent law in the country after the Religious Freedom Bill is implemented.

This bill is also known as Anti-Love Jihad Bill.

In this bill conversion on the basis of threats, marriage, coercion and conspiracy is punishable

Provision has been made under this that any organization or family person on behalf of the victim, can file a complaint. 

If the victim is a woman, a minor, from a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe community, the accused will face imprisonment of two to ten years and a fine of Rs 50,000.

Current status of religious freedom in India:

A report issued by the American Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) gives India the lowest ranking till date, India has been placed in the category of Pakistan, North Korea, China, Saudi Arabia. 

Constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir, Citizenship Amendment Act

(CAA), National Civil Register (NRC), mob leaching, anti-conversion law were accepted as reasons behind the decline in India's ranking. 

In this report, the judgment given by the Supreme Court on the Ram Temple - Babri Masjid dispute and in the year 2018 etc. regarding the temple entry of women in the Sabarimala temple were also mentioned in the report.