Cong spoils BJP conversion plans

The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh today foiled the BJP8217;s plans to push through a proposed amendment Bill in the Madhya Pradesh Religi...

The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh today foiled the BJP8217;s plans to push through a proposed amendment Bill in the Madhya Pradesh Religious Conversions Act.

Opposing the BJP8217;s move to seek sweeping changes in the Act 8216;8216;to stop all coercive religious conversions8217;8217; in the state, the Congress did not allow the Opposition to table the proposed amendment Bill in the state Assembly today, saying the existing law was sufficient to deal with conversions.

Not ready to give up so easily, the agitated BJP members first forced an adjournment of the House and later entered the Well, defying Assembly norms, according to which members can be suspended for entering the Well of the House.

Senior BJP MLA Brij Mohan Aggarwal, who led the Opposition protest after he was not allowed to table the Bill, said that the Congress was running away from a discussion. 8216;8216;It8217;s strange that the Congress has chosen to stifle the Opposition8217;s voice,8217;8217; he said.

Claiming that the existing law has failed to curb religious conversions in the state, the BJP proposed major changes in the Madhya Pradesh Religious Conversions Act to make it mandatory for organisations to seek prior permission of the state government before carrying out the conversions.

The BJP, in the proposed amendment, suggested that the agency carrying out the conversions give in writing to the District Magistrate at least a month in advance before organising any conversion programmes.

The party demanded that the conversions carried out without prior permission of the District Magistrate be treated invalid. The BJP also sought that the fine for those found involved in conversions be increased from the existing Rs 5,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

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The BJP claimed that the conversions were previously carried out through allurements but the organisations have now changed their modus operandi. Aggarwal alleged that tribals and Dalits were increasingly becoming victims of the conversions.