Gujarat: Amended Freedom of Faith Act to return into power from June 15
The Gujarat Freedom of Faith (Modification) Act, 2021, which prohibits forcible non secular conversion by means of marriage, will come into power from June 15, Leader Minister Vijay Rupani mentioned in an authentic liberate Friday.
The stringent law was once handed in Gujarat Meeting on April 1 with majority vote after a marathon debate amid opposition by means of contributors of Congress who termed the Invoice as one with “political schedule”. The CM has introduced to carry the amended Act in power from June 15 after Governor Acharya Devavrata gave his consent to the Invoice not too long ago.
The most recent Act has amended the Gujarat Freedom of Faith Act, 2003 with some stringent provisions towards somebody or establishment indulging in forcible non secular conversion by means of marriage. It has provisions like most punishment of as much as 10 years imprisonment and wonderful as much as Rs five lakh, burden of evidence at the accused and investigation by means of an officer no longer underneath the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Additionally, any marriage completed best with a objective of spiritual conversion shall be declared null and void by means of the courtroom having jurisdiction beneath the provisions of the Act. The Act aimed to handle non secular conversion via “allurement, power or by means of misrepresentation or by means of another fraudulent method”.
Within the unique Act, most punishment for forcible non secular conversion by means of fraudulent method was once of 4 years and wonderful as much as Rs 1 lakh. The unique Act had two classes of “allurement” – “any reward or gratification, both in money or sort” and “grant of any subject material get advantages, both financial or differently”. The amended Act has added 3rd class to the allurement clause: “higher way of life, divine blessings or differently.”
Congress had hostile the Invoice within the Meeting whilst declaring that the federal government was once pronouncing that it was once to test actions like “love jihad”, however the Invoice didn’t have the utilization “love jihad” even as soon as.
