Mohan Yadav, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, declared on Saturday that his administration would impose the death penalty for girls who convert to another religion, much like it does for raping children.
Yadav made the news at an International Women’s Day celebration in Bhopal.
“Those who rape defenseless daughters face severe punishment from the government. In this context, the death penalty has been included. In addition, Mohan Yadav stated that the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act would include a provision for the death penalty in cases of religious conversion.
He declared that individuals responsible for unauthorized conversions would not be spared by the state authorities.
Yadav went on to say, “The government has decided that it will deal strictly with such evil practices and wrongdoings.”
The Madhya Pradesh government is committed to the safety and dignity of “daughters,” the chief minister later stated on X (previously Twitter).
“Madhya Pradesh will now provide for the death penalty for those who convert daughters, following the provision for the death penalty for those who rape (our) daughters,” he stated.
The chief minister also electronically deposited ₹1,552.73 crore into the accounts of around 1.27 crore recipients of the monthly financial aid program for women known as “Ladli Behna Yojana” during the Women’s Day celebration in Bhopal.
Additionally, he disbursed ₹55.95 crore to more than 26 lakh qualified recipients under the LPG Cylinder Refill Scheme, which offers a monthly subsidy of ₹450 per cylinder.
Yadav’s announcement has alarmed Congress leader Arif Masood, who has urged him to first define what he means by forced conversion.
He also drew attention to the government’s failure to take any action about the missing girl’s instances in Bhopal.
“The chief minister should first define forced conversion. In Bhopal, there are still unaccounted-for girls. A girl from Itkhedi went missing recently, and for the past three days, her family has been in anguish. Although he has not yet found her or the guilty, the CM discusses strict measures. These are merely pronouncements, but if he takes action in these areas, we would applaud the move,” Masood told ANI.
Under the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021, it is illegal to convert someone to another religion by deception, compulsion, force, or any other deceptive method.
The law also lays forth punishments for violators, such as fines and incarceration.
