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Journalism of Courage
Electoral politics can make for cynical actions. That probably explains why the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has passed an act to make forcible religious conversions an offence under the law. In doing so, the Virbhadra Singh administration joins other non-Congress states like Chhattisgarh, MP, Orissa and Rajasthan in enacting such a law.
The politics behind the legislative action, however, is fairly transparent. The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 2006, which received Governor VS Kokje8217;s assent last month, was passed in December by the state Assembly sitting at a newly built Vidhan Sabha complex at Dharamshala, headquarter of politically sensitive Kangra district. The event was a double whammy for the BJP: the wily chief minister managed to silence charges of regional bias against Kangra and simultaneously punctured an issue that the BJP could have blown up for electoral gains.
However, this does not close the doors on anyone wanting to change their faith. Such a person will be required to give a month8217;s advance notice of conversion to the district magistrate, who after making inquiries, can permit the change. One lacunae of the law, point out its critics, is its failure to address the issue of reconversion.
In a population of 61 lakh, Himachal hardly has 10,000 Christians and naturally they have opted to remain quiet about the new law. But other Christian organisations like the Church of North India and the All India Christian Council headed by John Dayal, a member of the National Integration Council, has threatened to move court. Dayal,who was in Shimla last month, expressed strong apprehensions about the law being misused by fundamentalist organisations to frame Christian missionaries and local church members.
8216;8216;There is no justification for such law in the state where no conversions have taken place. We are using the RTI Act to nail the government8217;s lie, as well as that of Hindu fundamentalists, about conversions in Himachal Pradesh,8217;8217; he says.
The reaction in the BJP to the law has been almost immediate. Less than a fortnight after the legislation received gubernatorial nod, the All India Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Mahasangh, a Hindu organisation, organised a reconversion camp in Shimla, where nearly 150 people, mostly Dalits who were allegedly converted to Christianity through allurements, re-embraced Hinduism.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh justifies the law. 8216;8216;I haven8217;t banned conversions,8217;8217; he said. 8216;8216;In fact, the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 2006,as the title suggests, gives everyone equal freedom to practise his religion or, if he so desires, to change their faith.8217;8217;
Then why the Act? 8216;8216;It is only in view of reports and apprehensions about conversions based on inducements that we enacted the law,8217;8217; said Singh. 8216;8216;We want to maintain mutual trust between different ethnic and religious groups in the state. The law prescribes a lawful procedure for conversions.8217;8217;
As for fears that the law may be used to harass Christian missionaries, the chief minister said, 8216;8216;Those who are genuinely interested in the service of humanity and vulnerable sections are free to carry on their activities or they can join hands with the government.8217;8217;
However, Singh does not enjoy the support of all his partymen on the issue. A sizeable section the group having close links with Sonia feel the passing of the Act was not warranted. 8216;8216;As president of party8217;s state unit, we are with the government,8217;8217; says Viplove Thakur, PCC chief and a Rajya Sabha member. 8216;8216;However,8217;8217; he adds, 8216;8216;it would have been wiser on the part of the CM to have taken us into confidence before passing the law.8217;8217; Insiders admit the central leadership wasn8217;t too happy about Singh8217;s step but felt it was too late to undo it.
