New Delhi Indicating a significant policy shift, the newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan has announced its intention to introduce fresh legislation on religious conversion.
The Bhajan Lal Sharma-led government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, stating that while the state currently lacks specific legislation on religious conversion, it is actively working on drafting a new law. Until the legislation is enacted, the state will strictly adhere to existing laws and any guidelines or directions issued by the Supreme Court, it added.
“The State of Rajasthan does not have any specific legislation with respect to conversion from one religion to another…the State of Rajasthan is in the process of bringing its own legislation and till such time will strictly abide by the law on the subject, guidelines or directions passed by this Hon’ble Court,” the affidavit stated.
The move by the BJP government, which came to power in the state in December last year after ousting the Congress, aligns Rajasthan with several other BJP-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, that have enacted stringent anti-conversion laws.
This story was originally published in hindustantimes.com. Read the full story here.
