The Hindu Group

Nov 19, 2023

India’s Top Hindu Group Slams Congress for Opposing Anti-Conversion Bill in Haryana India’s Top Hindu Group Slams Congress for Opposing Anti-Conversion Bill in Haryana Some 10 Indian states had already adopted anti-conversion laws, before Haryana introduced its own anti-conversion bill in the state legislature. These states... 05.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-05T12:48+0000 https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/03/05/1093613519_0:48:1225:738_1920x0_80_0_0_708f37a4c62063bb1582b413570ae3a9.jpg India's top Hindu organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday slammed Congress for opposing the anti-conversion bill introduced by the Haryana legislative assembly. VHP Joint General Secretary Dr Surendra Jain said that the opposition of anti-conversion by Congress is anti-national and it should apologise for it.In a statement, Dr Jain said: "Soon after the independence of the country, Mahatma Gandhi wanted that there should be a strict law to stop illegal religious conversions. Perhaps, this is the reason laws were made in this regard by Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh and there was no opposition to it. However, now Congress is opposing the bill which shows that the party is only favouring Muslims".Questioning the Congress Party's intentions, he said: "Doesn't the party know that terrorists and anti-nationals are directly linked to illegal religious conversion? Doesn't it know that Hindus are not safe in the places where they have become minorities due to illegal and forced conversion? The party has turned a blind eye towards all such issues. VHP believes that the party should change its policy".Dr Jain also said that the shredding of the bill by a Congress politician is not only a huge insult towards those Hindus who have suffered due to forced and illegal conversion, but also an insult to the state assembly.On Friday, there was a huge uproar in the Haryana state assembly after the BJP-ruled state government introduced the anti-conversion bill.The Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2022 was tabled by state Home Minister Anil Vij on the third day of the state assembly's budget session.Haryana State Chief Manohar Lal Khattar said that the proposed bill is aimed at prohibiting religious conversions through threats, coercion, fraud, allurement, misrepresentation, and by marriage or for marriage.He also stated that the legislation will only affect "incidents of forced religious conversion".The opposition party, Congress, raised strong objections to the bill citing religious discrimination and called it "unconstitutional".Congress politician Raghuvir Singh Kadian even tore up a copy of the legislation and continued protesting despite being given several warnings by the speaker of the assembly. He was later suspended for the entire session.All of the Congress Party’s lawmakers subsequently walked out of the assembly.Meanwhile, the VHP welcomed the introduction of the bill, saying State Chief Manohar Lal Khattar has shown his determination towards curbing such forceful religious conversions in the state.The Hindu group said in a statement that the bill will create an atmosphere of "mutual harmony and peace" in Haryana, and put the state on the path of development "at a fast pace". Sputnik International Some 10 Indian states had already adopted anti-conversion laws, before Haryana introduced its own anti-conversion bill in the state legislature. These states are Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand. India's top Hindu organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday slammed Congress for opposing the anti-conversion bill introduced by the Haryana legislative assembly. VHP Joint General Secretary Dr Surendra Jain said that the opposition of anti-conversion by Congress is anti-national and it should apologise for it. In a statement, Dr Jain said: "Soon after the independence of the country, Mahatma Gandhi wanted that there should be a strict law to stop illegal religious conversions. Perhaps, this is the reason laws were made in this regard by Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh and there was no opposition to it. However, now Congress is opposing the bill which shows that the party is only favouring Muslims". Questioning the Congress Party's intentions, he said: "Doesn't the party know that terrorists and anti-nationals are directly linked to illegal religious conversion? Doesn't it know that Hindus are not safe in the places where they have become minorities due to illegal and forced conversion? The party has turned a blind eye towards all such issues. VHP believes that the party should change its policy". Dr Jain also said that the shredding of the bill by a Congress politician is not only a huge insult towards those Hindus who have suffered due to forced and illegal conversion, but also an insult to the state assembly. On Friday, there was a huge uproar in the Haryana state assembly after the BJP-ruled state government introduced the anti-conversion bill. The Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2022 was tabled by state Home Minister Anil Vij on the third day of the state assembly's budget session. Haryana State Chief Manohar Lal Khattar said that the proposed bill is aimed at prohibiting religious conversions through threats, coercion, fraud, allurement, misrepresentation, and by marriage or for marriage. He also stated that the legislation will only affect "incidents of forced religious conversion". The opposition party, Congress, raised strong objections to the bill citing religious discrimination and called it "unconstitutional". Congress politician Raghuvir Singh Kadian even tore up a copy of the legislation and continued protesting despite being given several warnings by the speaker of the assembly. He was later suspended for the entire session. All of the Congress Party’s lawmakers subsequently walked out of the assembly. Meanwhile, the VHP welcomed the introduction of the bill, saying State Chief Manohar Lal Khattar has shown his determination towards curbing such forceful religious conversions in the state. The Hindu group said in a statement that the bill will create an atmosphere of "mutual harmony and peace" in Haryana, and put the state on the path of development "at a fast pace".