ANTI-CONVERSION ACT AND HOW IT HAS AFFECTED BJP GOVERNED STATES

How the BJP Governed States are Affected

Uttar Pradesh, the largest state of India is the most hostile. Mainly because of its controversies around love jihad'. Here are a few examples: A woman was harassed by the Bajrang Dal workers for registering her marriage with a Muslim man. The husband and his brother were beaten up black and blue and were imprisoned. Another example- Owais Ahmed aged 24 years was arrested on the same day the ordinance was enacted. He and his wife had eloped together a year before. The girl dismissed the charge of kidnapping that her father had lodged in the police station and denied the allegations put up against her husband. This is just one of the many cases lodged in UP.

The Modi Government though highly criticized is still able to grasp all the power by feeding on people's naiveness and their innocence. It's only matter of time when this Anti Conversion Act, which is ethically wrong in so many spheres is nationalized for all the wrong reasons.

Anti-Conversion Act

The Anti-Conversion Act or Love Jihad is an ordinance that is promulgated by nine states of India namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The statute, in layman's terms, means that one cannot forcefully convince an individual1 to change their religion, especially under the influence of marriage. No individual can force or allure any other person directly or indirectly to convert their religion, whereby doing so is considered to be illegal and could put the person in jeopardy. A fine between INR 500 to 50000 is to be paid by the offender or he could be put in jail for a tenure of one to five years.

The conspiracy theory about violating the Act is yet to be proven true which suggests that the Hindutva and Bajrang Dal workers are portraying the true colors of the Government of UP by spreading Islamophobia. They are trying to keep the Muslim community in the low and want to soon apply the policy of Divide And Rule, which surely would ruin the whole Country as well as keep the women and the minorities of the country oppressed. States like Uttar Pradesh are legalizing this Act to keep the Hindu Majority intact. The BJP Government is well aware that to win the elections they need a Hindu Majority. The government is not only spreading hate but also has little regard for other minor communities like the Christians as they pose a threat to the Government and their one nation's religious ideology.

Religion and Indian Constitution

According to Merriam Webster, religion is "the worship and service of God or the supernatural" or "the commitment or the devotion to a religious faith or observance." In the Indian Constitution Freedom of religion in India is a fundamental right of all citizens of India. Articles 255 to 28 of the Indian Constitution thoroughly go through the rights of each religion. The Preamble, that is, the Introductory Part of the Indian Constitution has the word SECULAR written in bold letters, to portray that India is a secular country that respects all religions. Article 25 implies that no state shall discern any religion whatsoever.