The state government is set to amend the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003 to bring more stringent punishment against forced religious conversions through marriage.
Speaking to the media, Gujarat Home Minister Pradipsinh Jadeja said, "We are going to make amendments to Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003. Today, we are going to present a law before the state Assembly, that will stop people from luring Hindu girls into marriage with the intention of religious conversion."
Earlier in February, the BJP-led the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Bill, 2021 was passed by the state Legislative Assembly by voice vote.
Following it, another BJP-led government Madhya Pradesh had approved the Freedom of Religion Bill 2020 at a special meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on February 4 this year clarified that the term 'love jihad' is not defined under the existing laws and no such case has been reported so far. No such case was reported by any of the central agencies yet.
( With inputs from ANI )
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