The Governor of the State of Jharkhand in India has a big decision to make regarding the thousands of Christians and other religious minorities residing in her state.
Jharkhand Governor Drau-padi Murmu must decide on an anti-conversion Bill passed by the State Assembly earlier.
If Murmu allows the Bill to become law, she risks putting in harm’s way Christians and other religious minorities living in Jharkhand.
Only five states in India now have such laws. But of those five states, two are among the top three states in India where violence against Christians is highest.
Anti-conversion laws are supposed to stop people con-verting from Hinduism to Christianity. But, what they really do is infringe on the right of an Indian citizen to practise their religion as they see fit…and, to a right to privacy – both of which are guaranteed by India’s federal Constitution.
And, India’s federal Penal Code, Section 295(A), already deals with the issue of sectarian harmony, and the use of coercion and, or, “allurements” to entice people to convert from Hinduism to Christianity. These laws command stiff penalties, ranging from fines to imprison-ment.
