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Lucknow: The UP Illegal Conversion Prohibition (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday against love jihad and conversion. Now the law has become strict in cases of fraudulent or forced conversion in the state. Under this law, there is a provision of severe punishment up to life imprisonment for the culprits. To prevent serious incidents of illegal conversion, the Yogi government has increased the scope of the law and the provision of punishment. The Yogi government performed this yagya on the very first day of the monsoon session.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Suresh Khanna introduced this bill in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Funding for illegal conversion has also been brought under the purview of the new law. According to the new law, anyone found guilty of 'love jihad' by luring any woman living in Uttar Pradesh into a love trap and converting her religion will be sentenced to life imprisonment for the first time. The punishment for many crimes has been doubled in this law. Many new crimes have been added under love jihad.
According to the passed bill, if a person threatens life or property, attacks, marries or promises to marry or conspires to marry, traffics a minor, woman or any other person with the intention of conversion, then his crime will be placed in the most serious category.
The new bill includes many stringent provisions. Under the new law, there is a provision of 20 years of imprisonment or life imprisonment if found guilty. Apart from this, now anyone can file an FIR in the case of conversion. Earlier, the presence of the victim, parents or siblings was necessary to register information or complaint in such a case. Love jihad cases cannot be heard in courts below the Sessions Court. In the case of love jihad, bail application cannot be considered without giving a chance to the public prosecutor. Apart from this, all types of crimes under this Act have been made non-bailable.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi government made the first law against love jihad in 2020. After this, the state government passed the Religious Conversion Prohibition Bill 2021 in the assembly. There was a provision of punishment from 1 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to Rs. 50 thousand. It was also provided in the bill that religious conversion done only for marriage will be considered illegal.