Chhattisgarh govt to bring stricter law against illegal religious conversions: Dy CM Sharma

Raipur, Oct 14 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma on Tuesday said the state government will bring a law to prevent illegal religious conversions in the next session of the state assembly, which will have a provision to curb 'changai sabha' or faith healing meetings.

Sharma, who also holds the home portfolio, told reporters the new law will be "one step ahead" of such laws existing in other states of the country.

Over a query on religious conversion, Sharma said, "An Act will be introduced in the upcoming session (of the state assembly), which I believe will be a step ahead of the existing Acts in other states, as it incorporates everyone's experiences (provisions in force in other states)." "Additionally, there are things like 'changai sabha', which everybody understands are misleading. Therefore, these things must be stopped. This requires legal provisions, which will be included in the upcoming Act," he added.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy CM Sharma had said in the past that the government will bring a new law to curb illegal religious conversions in the state.

According to officials, the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 1968, is currently in force in the state to address the cases of forced conversions. PTI TKP NP