UP GOVT DEFENDS ANTI-CONVERSION LAW IN AFFIDAVIT BEFORE HC

PRAYAGRAJ: Defending the anticonversion law, the Uttar Pradesh government in its affidavit before the Allahabad High Court, has stated that since the marriages are being used as an instrument to convert an individual’s religion against his/her will, therefore, the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021’ seeks to remedy this malady.

Following the direction of the high court, the UP government has filed the affidavit before the court, which is hearing a bunch of public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the act.

The Allahabad High Court had directed the UP government to file an affidavit in response to these petitions.

While stressing that the community interest will always prevail over the individual interest, the UP government added that the law seeks to protect the public interest and maintain public order, and safeguard the interest of the community.

“When there is fear psychosis spread in the community at large and the community itself is endangered and succumbs to the pressure resulting in forceful conversion, under the said circumstances, it becomes necessary that the interest of the community as a whole requires protection and no microanalysis of individual interest can be looked into,” the affidavit further added.

“Even though a Hindu woman wishes not to give up her faith but she will have to give up her faith in order to enter into a valid marriage and accept Islam. This will amount to forceful conversion. The position remains the same if a Hindu boy wants to marry a Muslim girl. Hindu boy will have to accept Islam,” the state government said in the affidavit.

THE ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT HAD DIRECTED THE UP GOVERNMENT TO FILE AN AFFIDAVIT IN RESPONSE TO THESE PETITIONS.