Centre can’t bring law against conversion

The Law Ministry’s opinion came after Home Ministry sought a clarification in the matter following demands by some Sangh Parivar outfits which was backed by some BJP ministers at the Centre.

The NDA government’s plan to enact a pan-India anti-conversion law has hit a law hurdle, as the subject is purely under the domain of state governments and the Centre has no jurisdiction in the matter.

The Home Ministry has been informed by Law Ministry that any anti-conversion law is purely a “state subject” and the Union government has no jurisdiction for enacting any legislation in this regard, a senior official said.

Any such move will not only be legally untenable, it will also go against basic tenets of the Constitution, the Law Ministry told the Home Ministry.

The Law Ministry’s opinion came after Home Ministry sought a clarification in the matter following demands by some Sangh Parivar outfits which was backed by some BJP ministers at the Centre.

Following row over forced religious conversions allegedly by some Sangh Parivar outfits, BJP leaders and some Union Ministers had said they were ready to bring an anti-conversion law.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had questioned the practice of conversions and advocated a debate on the need for an anti-conversion law. “There are sometimes rumours about ‘ghar wapsi’ and conversions. Why should there by any conversion at all?,” he had said.

Source:: Indian Express