Anti-Conversion Bill Becomes Law in North India State

On 19 February, the governor of Himachal Pradesh state, Shri Justice Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje, gave his assent to the anti-conversion law passed by the state legislature on 29 December 2006. The bill has now passed into law.

Himachal Pradesh is a mostly mountainous state in northern India.

Minority groups had expressed grave concern that the ‘Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2006’ was passed by the secular Congress Party, after similar laws were passed and strengthened in states ruled by the Hindu fundamentalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last year. CSW partner organisation, the All India Christian Council (AICC) is considering a legal challenge to the law at the Supreme Court.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) previously reported that Christians faced a fresh wave of harassment by Hindu extremist groups after the bill was passed. Further attacks have subsequently taken place.

Read more of this story on Christian Today.