Anti-conversion law in Maharashtra: The Maharashtra government has said a strict law will be brought against conversion in the state in the winter session of the Legislative Assembly to be held in December. Minister of State for Home (Rural) Pankaj Bhoyar told the Legislative Council that the law against conversion will be more stringent in Maharashtra than in the other 10 states of the country. This step is being taken to stop the increasing cases of conversion in the state.
Committee has been formed
For quite some time now, cases of religious conversion have been coming to light in different districts of the state. A committee has been formed under the leadership of the Director General of Police. This committee has completed the draft of the law against conversion. This law will make Maharashtra the 11th state where anti-conversion law will be implemented.
Manisha Kayande raised the issue in the Legislative Council
Shiv Sena nominated MLC Manisha Kayande raised the issue of forced conversion in the Legislative Council. She told that a pregnant woman in Sangli district committed suicide due to conversion under pressure from her in-laws.
Besides, there was a quarrel in a family in Pune over conversion, after which both the parties have filed FIR against each other. Manisha Kayande said that anti-conversion laws are already in force in 10 states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand. She questioned the Mahayuti government of Maharashtra whether it would also bring a similar law, to which the minister replied in the affirmative.
Govt will leave no stone unturned to stop forced conversion: Bawankule
Last week, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule also expressed his views on this issue. He said in the Assembly that he would talk to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to make this law more stringent. Chandrashekhar Bawankule made it clear that the government will leave no stone unturned to stop forced conversion. The increasing cases of conversion in Maharashtra have forced the government to take rapid steps in this direction. The government hopes that this new law will maintain peace and harmony in the society.
Prakash Kumar Pandey