Haryana passes anti-conversion Bill, Congress opposes

Haryana government on Tuesday passed a Bill against forcible religious conversion amid a walkout by Congress legislators. The assembly named the bill  Haryana Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2022, which states there will be provision for imprisonment of one to five years and a fine of not less than ₹1 lakh if conversion is done. 

According to the bill if anyone try to convert a minor, a woman or a person belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, would be punished with imprisonment for a term which will be not less that four years, and could be extend to 10 years, not only this but the liable fine will be more than Rs 3 lakh. 

Oppositing this Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said there is already the exsiting law for forcible conversions and there was no need to bring a fresh legislation. Congress leader Kiran Choudhary said, "I think this will be a black chapter in Haryana's history".

"This Bill will deepen the communal divide. This Bill is scary. It can have grave consequences in future..the shape in which this Bill has been brought is what we are objecting to," she said.

Also Congress leader Raghuvir Singh Kadian said, "There is no urgency for bringing this Bill. I feel that this Bill smacks of divisive politics, which is not good".