Kanpur: A delegation of eminent Christians of Kanpur met Sri P. Jogdand IPS, the Police Commissioner, regarding a spate of accusations and arrests for so-called forcible conversions.
The U.P. Prohibition of Unlawful Conversions of Religion Act 2021 (with retrospective effect from 27/11/2020) has draconian provisions for conversion by what it calls allurement, coercion, force or fraudulent means. Even an assurance of a “better lifestyle” or threat of “divine displeasure” is considered an offence. The act defines “mass conversion” as that of two or more persons. So even if a married couple converts it becomes a case of mass conversion.
Several other States also have such draconian provisions. That is why the matter has been agitated before the Supreme Court by human rights activist Teesta Setalvaad’s Centre for Justice & Peace.
Unfortunately, the provisions of this Act have been used to harass Christians across the State. Members of certain fundamentalist organizations have been complaining against prayer meetings being held in houses and pressurising the police to arrest those conducting such services.
A preliminary meeting, to discuss the issue was held at St Patrick’s Church presided over by Rev K.K. Antony. Thereafter Pastors Diamond Yusuf and Jitendra Singh together with chhotebhai, former President, Kanpur Catholic Association were tasked with preparing a Memorandum to be submitted to the Police Commissioner.
Presenting the Memorandum, chhotebhai first thanked the Commissioner for having earlier called a meeting before Christmas, as a consequence of which carol singing and all Christmas activities had gone off peacefully.
He then said that there are two holy seasons for Christians, prior to Christmas and Good Friday respectively. Just as there is carol singing before Christmas, there are house prayer meetings in Lent. This is a universal practice and cannot be construed to be any form of conversion activity. At the moment Navratra had begun for the Hindus and Ramzan for Muslims was due to begin. All these major religions have household level prayers in various forms.
The Commissioner listened attentively to the delegation and assured it that necessary orders would be passed on to all the police stations that house prayer meetings should not be disrupted.
Prominent in the delegation were Rev Deepak D’souza, Dean of Kanpur, Rev K.K. Antony, Parish Priest, Rev Abhishek Lyall of the Methodist Church, Adv Mary Christina, Pastors Manoj Kumar, Michael Patras, Diamond Yusuf and chhotebhai.
In the above report, the phrase “Divine Displeasure” in the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Conversion Act is quite confusing. For in the Haryana Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act 2022, the term `Allurement’, includes “Divine PLEASURE.”
Could it be a typographical error in the Uttar Pradesh Act? This question is because of the reaction of Haryana Congress MLA Ms Kiran Choudhry’s reaction to the phrase “Divine Pleasure” in the Haryana Anti-conversion Act. Pointing out that definition of allurement in the bill also included Divine Pleasure, Ms Choudhry said it was “ridiculous”. “One practices a faith for attainment of divine pleasure but terming it an allurement is ridiculous,” she said (Source: The Hindustan Times 22 March 2022).
Earlier, legal experts had said the inclusion of “divine pleasure” or promise in the definition of `allurement’ makes the proposed law capricious and irrational. “People may adopt a particular religion for spiritual gratification or divine pleasure. A person claiming spiritual gratification from his religion and facilitating another person to convert may become subject of criminal prosecution under the proposed law,” said a leading lawyer. (Source: The Hindustan Times 07 March 2022).
So, it would be better to check with legal experts the phrase “Divine Displeasure” in the UP Act.
Interestingly, there is a way to bypass Anti-Conversion Laws. For these laws are enforceable only in the states which have passed them. Those intending to convert without going through the gruelling process laid down by the proposed law, can go for conversion or marriage in neighbouring union territories and states where these laws are not applicable! For example in Uttar Pradesh, one has to give 60 days’ clear notice to the District Magistrate (DM) by filling up Schedule I; the Convertor (religious priest) has to give 30 days’ advance notice by filling up Schedule II; and after conversion, the converted person has again to inform the DM by filling up Schedule III within 60 days of his/her conversion.
The above view was expressed by legal experts (Source: The Hindustan Times 07 March 2022). It would be interesting to know the views of our Christian lawyers on circumventing the anti-conversion laws!