Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Saturday
gave her approval to the ordinance against forcible or “dishonest” religious
conversions. The violators will be fined Rs 50,000 and can be jailed up to 10
years.

The forcible religious conversions cannot be also used
for any marriage reasons. According to this law, anyone who wants to change
their religion post marriage is require to apply to the district magistrate. Any
marriage, which is targeted only to convert a woman’s religion will be
considered invalid under this law.

The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion
of Religious Ordinance, 2020 has now become a law with the approval of
Governor. CM Yogi Adityanath-led government had previously approved the draft
ordinance to restrict forcible religious conversions.

There is another provision which allows anyone to
return to their original religion and it will not be considered a conversion. The
responsibility to show that the conversion is not forceful will be on the person
who is converting and the accused of the act.

Read more: ‘Love very personal, doesn’t go hand-in-hand with jihad,’ says TMC MP Nusrat Jahan

The ordinance also says that any violation of this law
will allow the victim for a compensation of Rs 5 lakh along with the fine from
the accused. The ordinance added any conversion from one religion to another by
force, manipulation, blackmailing, conspiracy or by any fraud measures like
marriage is wrong and no one should convert by these ways directly or in
directly.

Anyone related to victim by blood or adoption can file
an FIR for these unlawful conversions. Also those who are already accused, if
arrested again for the same crime will be put through to double punishment.

Recently, BJP ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana
and Madhya Pradesh have announced their objective to enact laws to counter
alleged attempts to convert Hindu women to Islam in the disguise of marriage,
which Hindu activists call as ‘love jihad’.