Uttarkhand considers UP-like stringent anti-conversion law

Uttarakhand's Pushkar Singh Dhami government is considering making the state's anti-conversion law more stringent, in line with the one in Uttar Pradesh. The CM further asked the Police Department to put up a proposal for enacting a more stringent law providing for a jail term of up to ten years, informed Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar. The request comes as the state is experiencing worsening of communal amity in certain regions amid demographic changes.

As per request, the Police Department has forwarded a two-page proposal to the government. It recommends making acts of forcible religious conversion a cognisable offence with a minimum three-year jail term sentence and a maximum of 10 years together with a fine of Rs 25,000. As per the state's current law, forcible conversion is a non-cognisable offence. The complainant must file a complaint in court seeking a directive to the police to register an FIR. Once made a cognisable offence, the police can lodge an FIR on its own without the court's intervention. The proposal is being examined, said Additional Chief Secretary of CM Abhinav Kumar.

The decision to tighten the law comes in the wake of an attack on a church in Roorkee, Haridwar, for allegedly promoting mass conversion. Last month, the government had instructed the police to act against the consistent migration of a particular community as the population of another community in the state rose. The government further instructed the police to identify affected districts and act against the anti-social elements there. The police have also been instructed to create a list of anti-social elements with criminal antecedents who migrated to and settled in those districts. After verifying their native home, the police must also prepare a record of such people.

The districts magistrates of these regions have been directed to keep a tab on illegal sale purchase of land in their areas and ensure that no land transaction takes place under duress.