Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Terming the problem of fraudulent and compelled spiritual conversion as ‘severe’ and ‘harmful,’ Supreme Court on Monday requested centre to file affidavit by Nov 22 detailing steps taken in opposition to forcible conversion.
The courtroom warned a “very difficult situation” will emerge if proselytisation by means of deception, allurement and intimidation will not be stopped.
The bench of Justices MR Shah and Hima Kohli mentioned mentioned, “Everyone has right to freedom of religion but not by forced conversion. It’s a very dangerous thing.”
The bench additionally added that the problem may in the end have an effect on the safety of the nation in addition to the liberty of faith and conscience of the residents.
“The concern with respect to the alleged conversion of faith, whether it is discovered to be appropriate and true, is a really severe concern which can in the end have an effect on the safety of the nation in addition to the liberty of faith and conscience of the residents. Therefore, it’s higher that Union authorities could make their stand clear and file counter on what additional steps will be taken by Union and/or others to curb such compelled conversion possibly by pressure, allurement or fraudulent means,” the courtroom mentioned.
Responding to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s rivalry that spiritual conversion is rampant in tribal areas, the bench mentioned, “You have to step in now.”
Mehta submitted earlier than the highest courtroom that the problem was debated even within the Constituent Assembly.
“There were two Acts. One was by the Odisha government and another one by Madhya Pradesh dealing with regulation of any forcible conversion by deceit, falsehood or fraud, money. These issues came before this court for consideration and the top court upheld the validity,” Mehta mentioned.
The solicitor basic mentioned compelled spiritual conversions are rampant in tribal areas.
ALSO READ | High priest tells Sikh youth to show martial, flags rise in conversions
Many a time the victims aren’t conscious they’re the subject material of legal offence and would say they’re being helped, Mehta mentioned.
The high courtroom noticed there could also be freedom of faith however there can’t be freedom of faith by compelled conversion.
The courtroom’s remarks got here in a plea filed by BJP chief Ashwini Upadhyay to declare spiritual conversion by fraud, intimidation, menace and deceiving by luring items and financial advantages as violative of elementary rights.
Upadhyay’s plea which was filed in opposition to the backdrop of suicide of 17 yr outdated lady Lavanya in Tamil Nadu had searched for taking stringent steps to regulate spiritual conversion and as a substitute prayed for guiding the Law Commission of India to organize a report in addition to a invoice to regulate “Deceit Religious Conversion”.
“There is not even one district which is free of religious conversion by hook and crook and the carrot and the stick,” the plea said. It was additionally argued that the scenario is alarming as many people and organisations are finishing up mass conversions of SC-STs in rural areas.
“The mass conversion of socially economically underprivileged people, particularly belonging to SC-ST, has been on a steep rise for the last 2 decades. These organisations operate very smoothly targeting socially economically underprivileged sections particularly belonging to the SC-ST community,” the plea additionally said.
(With inputs from PTI)
NEW DELHI: Terming the problem of fraudulent and compelled spiritual conversion as ‘severe’ and ‘harmful,’ Supreme Court on Monday requested centre to file affidavit by Nov 22 detailing steps taken in opposition to forcible conversion.
The courtroom warned a “very difficult situation” will emerge if proselytisation by means of deception, allurement and intimidation will not be stopped.
The bench of Justices MR Shah and Hima Kohli mentioned mentioned, “Everyone has right to freedom of religion but not by forced conversion. It’s a very dangerous thing.”
The bench additionally added that the problem may in the end have an effect on the safety of the nation in addition to the liberty of faith and conscience of the residents.
“The concern with respect to the alleged conversion of faith, whether it is discovered to be appropriate and true, is a really severe concern which can in the end have an effect on the safety of the nation in addition to the liberty of faith and conscience of the residents. Therefore, it’s higher that Union authorities could make their stand clear and file counter on what additional steps will be taken by Union and/or others to curb such compelled conversion possibly by pressure, allurement or fraudulent means,” the courtroom mentioned.
Responding to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s rivalry that spiritual conversion is rampant in tribal areas, the bench mentioned, “You have to step in now.”
Mehta submitted earlier than the highest courtroom that the problem was debated even within the Constituent Assembly.
“There were two Acts. One was by the Odisha government and another one by Madhya Pradesh dealing with regulation of any forcible conversion by deceit, falsehood or fraud, money. These issues came before this court for consideration and the top court upheld the validity,” Mehta mentioned.
The solicitor basic mentioned compelled spiritual conversions are rampant in tribal areas.
ALSO READ | High priest tells Sikh youth to show martial, flags rise in conversions
Many a time the victims aren’t conscious they’re the subject material of legal offence and would say they’re being helped, Mehta mentioned.
The high courtroom noticed there could also be freedom of faith however there can’t be freedom of faith by compelled conversion.
The courtroom’s remarks got here in a plea filed by BJP chief Ashwini Upadhyay to declare spiritual conversion by fraud, intimidation, menace and deceiving by luring items and financial advantages as violative of elementary rights.
Upadhyay’s plea which was filed in opposition to the backdrop of suicide of 17 yr outdated lady Lavanya in Tamil Nadu had searched for taking stringent steps to regulate spiritual conversion and as a substitute prayed for guiding the Law Commission of India to organize a report in addition to a invoice to regulate “Deceit Religious Conversion”.
“There is not even one district which is free of religious conversion by hook and crook and the carrot and the stick,” the plea said. It was additionally argued that the scenario is alarming as many people and organisations are finishing up mass conversions of SC-STs in rural areas.
“The mass conversion of socially economically underprivileged people, particularly belonging to SC-ST, has been on a steep rise for the last 2 decades. These organisations operate very smoothly targeting socially economically underprivileged sections particularly belonging to the SC-ST community,” the plea additionally said.
(With inputs from PTI)
