The Uttarakhand Cabinet has approved a proposal to bring another amendment to the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act. This law aims to prevent religious conversions through coercion, fraud, or undue influence.
This will be the second amendment to the Act, which has been in force since 2018. The first amendment came in 2022, shortly after Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami began his second term.
The new amendment proposes tougher punishments. Forced conversion could lead to life imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh. Currently, the maximum punishment is 10 years in jail and a fine of Rs 50,000.
Under the proposal, the jail term could be increased to 14 or 20 years, and in serious cases, it could extend to life imprisonment.
The government plans to introduce the bill in the monsoon session of the state assembly, starting on August 19, sources said.
"Yet another amendment legislation to make the law even more strict has been occasioned by recent cases of conversions in the state aimed at demographic change," BJP leader and former chairman of Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple panel Ajendra Ajay said.
He called the Cabinet's decision historic, adding that, "An amended act with stricter provisions will work as a strong deterrent for potential offenders and help preserve the original identity of a border state like Uttarakhand which is also known as Devbhoomi."
"Demographic change in Uttarakhand is a well-known fact. Due to demographic change, the original identity of the state as Devbhoomi (land of gods) is also in danger. Since it is a border state, a demographic change in Uttarakhand can also pose a threat to the country's security. By making strict provisions in the anti-conversion law, the state government has given a strong message regarding conversion,” Ajendra said.
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