Mumbai:
The Maharashtra government on Thursday approved the Anti-Conversion (Anti-Religious Conversion) Bill in a cabinet meeting. The bill is expected to be introduced in the state assembly soon. Speaking over the move, Minister Nitesh Rane stated that there has been a long-standing demand in Maharashtra for a law to prevent religious conversions. He noted that several Hindutva organisations and activists have been campaigning for years to push for such legislation.
According to Rane, the state government has now approved the Anti-Conversion Bill in the cabinet, and a Government Resolution (GR) will be issued soon.
Law to be more effective than in MP, Gujarat
Rane added that under the new law, forcibly converting someone or inducing them through temptation will be treated as a non-bailable offense. He also mentioned that the technical details of the law would be made public shortly. Rane claimed that this legislation would be stricter and more effective than the laws in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
The Maharashtra government has previously expressed its plan to introduce an anti-conversion law. It formed a high-level committee to study the legal issues related to a possible law targeting forced conversions and cases often referred to as “love jihad.”
Rane reacts on court’s remark on Namaz
On the Mumbai High Court verdict regarding Namaz on roads, Rane welcomed the decision.
“The verdict should be welcomed. There are enough mosques and places for offering Namaz, so there is no need to pray on streets or airports. Why insist on doing it everywhere? If Namaz has to be offered on streets and airports, then what is the need for mosques? Those spaces should be given to schools and other institutions instead,” he said.
This story was originally published in indiatvnews.com.
