Jharkhand became the most recent state in the country to criminalize religious freedom when its governor, Draupadi Murmu, signed an anti-conversion bill into law on September 5.
Key Points
Jharkhand is the sixth state since 2000 to pass anti-conversion legislation. Laws were adopted in Chhattisgarh in 2000, Tamil Nadu in 2002 (repealed in 2004), Gujarat in 2003, Himachal Pradesh in 2007, and Rajasthan in 2006 (not signed by governor).
The earliest laws were adopted in Odisha in 1967, Madhya Pradesh in 1968, and Arunachal Pradesh in 1978 (rules not framed). One state (Gujarat) requires permission to convert, while six require ....
