Uttarakhand offers sops to Agniveers, toughens anti-conversion law

The Uttarakhand Cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments to the anti-conversion law to make it harsher, with stringent provisions like punishment up to life imprisonment and heavy fines being added to the new bill. The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill-2025 was approved in the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, official sources said. According to the bill, apart from strict punishment for illegal religious conversion, provisions such as ban on propaganda through digital medium and protection of victims have been added, they said.

Key highlights:

1. Expanded definition of inducement: Offering gifts, monetary or material benefits, employment, free education, promises of marriage, hurting religious sentiments, or glorifying another religion will now be considered criminal acts under the law.

2. Ban on digital means: Any form of promotion or incitement to convert through social media, messaging apps, or other online platforms will be a punishable offence.

3. Harsh punishments: General violations will invite imprisonment from 3 to 10 years. In cases involving vulnerable groups, the sentence will range from 5 to 14 years. For severe offences, imprisonment can extend up to 20 years or even life, along with heavy fines.

4. Marriage under false identity: Concealing one’s religion to marry will attract strict legal consequences.

5. Victim rights: Provisions include protection, rehabilitation, medical care, travel assistance and financial support for victims.

The state government also stated that the law aims to safeguard citizens' religious rights while preventing conversions through fraud, inducement, or coercion, ensuring communal harmony is preserved.

The Pushkar Singh Dhami cabinet also  decided to give 10 per cent horizontal reservation for agniveers in contractual positions in government jobs. The decision came at the time when the first batch of Agniveer defence personnel completed its service tenure and returned to their homes. This coincides with Dhami government’s plan to fill 850 posts in various departments by Agniveers on contract.

The posts identified for accommodating agniveers are in Group C category, including constables and sub inspectors in fire and civil police, Jail Police, Forest Guard, patwari in revenue department, excise and state transport departments. As the Uttarakhand Cabinet gave a go-ahead to 26 proposals brought before it, most of them were pertaining either to agniveers or its Anti-Conversion law enacted in 2023.