Bhopal: According to the report, the Government of Madhya Pradesh doubled the jail-term for forced religious conversions in inter-faith marriages. 

The Home Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Narottam Mishra, declared that the Dharm Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill, 2020, is going to be tabled in the state assembly. The session will begin on December 28. Mr. Mishra elaborated on the permission necessary for the people marrying outside their faith. 

“Under this proposed law, the parties concerned will have to submit an application to the district magistrate before the conversion for marriage” – he stated. “It will be mandatory for the person converting to another religion for marriage, and the religious persons involved to obtain the permission of the district magistrate concerned a month in advance”, he further added. He also included that any offense under the new ordinance would be cognizable as well as non-bailable. 

Contextually, some other Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states have also been talking about introducing ordinances against “Love Jihad” in their states.