Uttar Pradesh, the new 'even tougher' anti-conversion law

The draft law is presented one month before Christmas. Christian leader: "It will be the tool in the hands of the administration to torment and harass us". The Indian state has the highest number of episodes of violence against Christians.

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - The Legislative Commission of the State of Uttar Pradesh has presented the proposal for a law against forced conversions because the existing regulatory provisions are not considered "sufficient". Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), condemns the decision to AsiaNews: "India is a secular democratic country. This new law that wants to punish forced conversions suggested by the state body violates the constitutional guarantees established by art. 21 ".

The proposal of the state commission was submitted yesterday to the attention of the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the famous Hindu holy man hostile to religious minorities, who in the past criticized the works of charity of Mother Teresa in India. Sapna Tripathi, secretary of the organization, said that in "the report was submitted together with the legislative draft, Uttar Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill 2019".

Sajan K George protests: "Uttar Pradesh is the state with the highest number of attacks against Christians, pastors and faithful. Christian meetings and prayer meetings are interrupted. False reports of forced conversions are presented against the vulnerable Christian community. Any type of social activity is held up as an attempt at seduction or fraudulent conversion. The extreme right-wing fundamentalist groups operate with the connivance of the police and build accusations without proof ”.

The women of the Christian community, adds the president of the Gcic, "are harassed, the groups of" Hindu vigilantes "constantly monitor against anything that they perceive as anti-Hindu. As we approach Christmas, this draft law will be the tool in the hands of the administration to torment and intimidate the tiny Christian population. The GCIC prays for the safety and salvation of the life, property and freedom of the faithful of Jesus in Uttar Pradesh ”.