New Delhi.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad said that the Uttar Pradesh government’s further tightening of the law against religious conversions enacted in 2019 is a welcome step. VHP’s central organization general secretary Milind Parande has said that even after the law was made, the incidents of love jihad and illegal conversions were rampant, despite the strict administration of the same. In such a situation, as soon as the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill 2024 is passed in the Legislative Assembly by the government of revered Yogi Adityanath ji, it can be expected that not only those who are organized criminals, but also other jihadis and missionaries will be afraid to continue their misdeeds.
He said that the scope of complainants, life imprisonment, enhanced penalties and special provisions to protect the rights of minors and the divyangs (disables), in the Bill are commendable. Such stringent provisions will, no doubt, prove to be a milestone in liberating this virtuous land of Bhagwan Shri Ram, Yogeshwar Shri Krishna and Bhole Baba, from the clutches of day-dreaming conversion mafia, by instilling fear in the minds of those criminal minded people. The UP government not only made this law in 2019 but also ensured its strict implementation in the last 5 years. Kudos to the government for this.
He also said that it is unfortunate that untill the Amrit Mahotsav of our Independence, only 10-11 states of Bharat were able to bring anti-conversion laws. Even in them, the provision for such a severe punishment is not laid down as in this law of Uttar Pradesh. He hoped that the rest of the state governments would also take quick initiative in this regard and free their respective states from the curse of illegal conversions. States which do not yet have a law in this regard should also expeditiously pass it along with a stringent penal code, and where the situation is fragile, it is very important to make the laws more stringent and follow them vigorously.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad hopes other state governments would also follow suit by brining such a law, that would act as a strong deterrent to those who are engaged in nefarious activities of converting through enticements, allurements, deception or forced conversion, love jihad and those who try outrage the modesty of women. The society will also have to be alert against such conspiracies and become an ally of the government and administration for timely appropriate action and come forward to ensure strict punishment to the criminals.
