CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -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-2: -The Act states that no person shall directly or indirectly convert from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by other fraudulent means or by marriage. People are also not permitted to abet, convince or conspire such conversion.

Detailed explanation-3: -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.