The Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel recently approved the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, against forcible or "dishonest" religious conversions.
A draft ordinance to curb forcible or deceptive religious conversions, including those for the sake of marriage, was approved by the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday (November 24, 2020) which could put violators in prison for up to 10 years.
As per the ordinance, those seeking to change their faith after marriage needs to apply to the district magistrate, according to the draught ordinance, which is now a statute after its enactment by the state governor.
Similarly, a marriage would be declared null and void under the law if a woman's conversion is solely for that reason.
At its meeting chaired in Lucknow by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the UP Cabinet gave its nod to the proposed legislation roughly translated from Hindi as the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Illegal Conversion Ordinance 2020.
BJP-run states such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh have announced plans to enact legislation in recent weeks to counter alleged attempts to convert Hindu women to Islam in the guise of marriage, also referred to by party leaders as 'love jihad.'
