Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Thursday filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the conversion laws of five states of the country. Jamiat has sought to declare the conversion laws of five states as unconstitutional. It has been alleged in the petition that the laws of these states are a means of harassing inter-religion couples. The petitioner has demanded to declare unconstitutional
the conversion law made in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
The petition said that the law is being used to harass and implicate inter-faith couples. The Jamiat has demanded to repeal the Conversion of Religions Act, 2021 (“Uttar Pradesh Act”), the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018 (“Uttarakhand Act”), the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2019 (“Himachal Pradesh Act”), Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021 (“Madhya Pradesh Act”) and the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act, 2021 (“Gujarat Act”).
Jamiat has alleged in its petition that a large number of Muslims are being harassed under these laws. In Madhya Pradesh, under the conversion law, there is a provision of punishment up to a maximum of 10 years. If he marries by inducement, threat, fraud, conspiracy or by hiding religion, then that marriage will also be considered void.
