In a significant move, the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, led by the Yogi Adityanath government, has passed the “Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill 2024,” which significantly enhances penalties for forced religious conversions and acts commonly referred to as ‘love jihad.’ The new legislation now stipulates life imprisonment for certain offenses, marking a substantial increase from the previous penalties.
The bill was introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna, who emphasized the necessity of the amendments due to the sensitive nature of religious conversions, which, according to the government, often involve foreign and anti-national elements aiming to alter the demographic makeup of the region. Originally enacted in 2021, the law has been significantly strengthened to address these concerns more robustly.
Under the new provisions, the act of kidnapping a minor girl for the purpose of ‘love jihad,’ selling her, or trafficking minors or women for conversion will attract a minimum sentence of 20 years, which may extend to life imprisonment. Furthermore, the legislation has added severe penalties for conversions through deceit, coercion, or inducement, including marriages intended to effect religious conversion.
The revised law imposes a prison term of three to ten years and a fine of 25,000 Indian Rupees for conversions through fraudulent means, up from the previous penalties of 15,000 Rupees and one to five years of imprisonment. In cases of mass conversions conducted illegally, offenders could now face seven to fourteen years in prison, with fines up to one lakh Rupees.
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Moreover, if the offense involves a minor, a woman, or someone from a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, the penalty ranges from five to fourteen years of rigorous imprisonment, along with a fine of up to one lakh Rupees. The law also criminalizes the receipt of foreign funding for conversions, with sentences ranging from seven to fourteen years and fines up to ten lakh Rupees.
The amendments make all related offenses non-bailable, and the cases will only be triable in sessions courts, ensuring a higher level of judicial scrutiny.
