HP Assembly clears bills to make religious act more stringent, Covert to be deprived of reservation benefit  

The state government today passed Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Amendment Bill 2022 in the house to make the stringent provisions in any kind of forceful mass conversion after placing it under the category of crime and deprived the benefits of reservation to convert. Congress member Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu opposed the bill by stating that bills is ultra-vir to the constitutional provisions of reservation which could not be tempered by the state assembly. He said that if any person who gets converted in tribal areas he would also be deprived of the reservation benefits which he was getting by virtue of geography. Mr Sukh said that members should be referred to the select committee. Mr Sukhu said that Congress supports the bills but the Section has been inserted in the bill which affects the constitutional provision of reservations granted to Schedule Caste and Scheduled Tribe. Speaking on the bill CPI(M) member Rakesh Singha opposed the amendment bills stating that the matter is pending in the Himachal Pradesh High court. Mr Singha said assembly rules did not permit tabling or discussion of law which is challenged in the court. He said that people belonging to Schedule Caste would be victimized if this bill gets passed. Mr Singha said that he would go to people on the issue. Jagat Singh Negi also opposed the bills stating that the state government is trying to bulldoze the bill in the house without giving sufficient time for the members to go through it. Parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Bhardwaj said that contention of members are surmises and states have no intention to temper with the reservation. He said that provisions of depriving reservation benefits attached with Section 7 of Himahcal Freedom of Religions Act 2019 which says that man or woman converting him should have given declaration before the magistarte that he would not take benefit of reservation of his parent caste while converting to other religions.  Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur replying to Singha said that Himachal Pradesh Assembly made any legislation despite the matter being pending in the Court. He said that the government came up in the assembly to make an amendment in the HP freedom of Religion Act 2019 as no restriction  or binding is on the state government from any court as Legislature is supreme. Jai Ram Thakur said that members should understand the population of minorities in the country has crossed over 22 Crore. I also have the same feeling as Congress members are stating on the issue but after having several complaints and delegations about the forced conversions in allurements he now thinks that provisions have been inserted right to make it more stringent. He said that Congress chief minister Virbhadra Singh also brought the similar legislation, however the BJP government made it more hard as the bill prohibited two or more persons from conversions if they would be converted then it would be considered as a mass conversion. Law Minister Suresh Bhardwaj said that two provisions were inserted in the Principal Act and it is not different from earlier Act. The provisions of sec. 3 in respect of mass conversion shall be punished with imprisonment for a term shall not be less than 5-yrs, but extended to 10 yrs, and also liable to fine which shall not be less than Rs 1 lac  but which may extend to Rs 1.50 Lac. ” In case of a 2nd or subsequent offence, the term of imprisonment shall not be less than 7 yrs, but may extend to 10  yrs and  also be liable to fine  not less than Rs 1.50 lac may be extended to Rs 2 lac. It is provided in the Bill that whosoever intends to marry a person of any religion other than the religion professed by him and conceals his religion in such a manner the other person whom he intends to marry, believes that his religion is truly the one professed by him shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, which shall not be less than 3 yrs, but which may extend to 10 yrs and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than Rs 50,000, but may extend to Rs one lac . In sec-7 of the principal Act, any person shall not take any benefit of his parent religion or caste after conversion shall be inserted. For making false declaration continues to take benefit of his parent religion or caste even after conversion, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which not be less than 2 yrs  but may extend to 5 yrs, and shall also be liable to fine tune less than Rs 50 thousand and may extend to Rupees one lakh. In respect of complaint against conversion of religion, no police officer below the rank of Sub-Inspector shall inquire or investigate into the complaints received in this behalf and it will be triable by the session Court shall also be inserted. Amid opposition from Congress and CPI(M) treasury benches cleared the bills with voice vote