CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Section 5 of the MPFRA, 2021 prohibits unlawful conversion from one religion to another by use of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, any other fraudulent means, allurement, or promise of marriage. Violators face between one year and five years of imprisonment.

Detailed explanation-2: -Referring to the first anti-Conversion bill that was passed by Odisha government in 1967, Cynthia Stephen in her EPW paper Anti-Conversion legislation in Karnataka notes when the state passed the bill, the Christian population of the state was around 2 lakhs, 1.1% of the population in comparison to 1.7 crores Hindus.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Haryana Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2022, provides a penalty of one to five years imprisonment and a fine of INR 100,000. It also makes concealment of religion during marriage a punishable crime carrying a penalty of three to ten years imprisonment and a fine of INR 300,000.