Uttar Pradesh Legislative Commission submits draft for new tougher anti-conversion law

The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Commission recently submitted a draft against forced conversions asking for new "tougher" anti-conversion law as the current regulations were considered "insufficient."

The proposal was taken to the state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's attention, who is hostile to religious minorities in the state.

According to the secretary of the organization, the report was submitted together with the legislative draft, Uttar Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill 2019.

Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), condemned the decision. He told AsiaNews, "India is a secular democratic country. This new law that wants to punish forced conversions suggested by the state body violates the constitutional guarantees established by Article 21."

Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of attacks against Christian community in the country. Hindu radicals interrupt Christian worship services and gatherings and falsely accuse pastors and believers of forced conversions. Any type of social activity is held up as an attempt at seduction or fraudulent conversion. The extreme right-wing fundamentalist groups operate with the connivance of the police and build accusations without proof. The women of the Christian community are abused and harassed for their faith. The groups of Hindu vigilantes constantly monitor against anything that they perceive as anti-Hindu.

Now as Christmas is approaching, George believes the draft law will be a tool in the hands of the administration to torment and intimidate the tiny Christian population. GCIC members pray for the safety and salvation of the life, property and freedom of the faithful of Jesus Christ in Uttar Pradesh.