Gujarat passes amendment to the Freedom of Religion Act
The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) expresses deep concern and is greatly disturbed by the recent passing of an amendment to the Freedom of Religion Act, 2003 by the Gujarat Assembly. The amendment fails to secure the right of an Indian citizen under Article 25, making it compulsory to take prior permission before carrying out a baptism ceremony. The amendment also differentiates between those converting to Islam and Christianity and those converting to the Buddhist, Jain or Sikh faiths. Only those converting to Islam and Christianity have to report to the government. The amendment, passed amidst enormous opposition, takes away the fundamental rights guaranteed to an individual. The Constitution of India states that an individual has the right to "freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion".
The Anti-conversion Act was passed in 2003 but not executed due to lack of clarity on aspects such as the meaning of forced conversion and to whom it should apply. Gujarat government officials said that "the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill 2006 was brought to have clarity to the Act".
Further, we express concern that the amendment also states that Jainism and Buddhism shall be understood as denominations of the Hindu religion. Hamid Ansari, chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, said: "I think legislators cannot, and should not, decide the religious identity of a community this way. This decision has to be taken by the community itself in a democratic manner." EFI is in agreement with the chairman's comments.
The amendment will come to pass only after the assent of Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma to the bill. The governor has one of four choices in regard to the bill. "He can give his assent, withhold his assent, reserve the bill for the consideration of the president or return the bill to the assembly with a message for its reconsideration."
We urge the Governor of Gujarat to withhold his assent and reserve the bill for the consideration of the president.
We also advise the Christian community to protest against the amendment by writing to the Governor of Gujarat. Letters or faxes can be sent to the following:
Governor of Gujarat
Shri Nawal Kishore Sharma
Raj Bhavan, Sector-20,
Gandhinagar-382020, Gujarat
(Off): (079) 23243171 to 3243173
Secretary: (Off) (079) 23243598,
(079) 23243171 to 73
Fax: (079) 232-31121
Rev. Richard Howell
General Secretary
The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) expresses deep concern and is greatly disturbed by the recent passing of an amendment to the Freedom of Religion Act, 2003 by the Gujarat Assembly. The amendment fails to secure the right of an Indian citizen under Article 25, making it compulsory to take prior permission before carrying out a baptism ceremony. The amendment also differentiates between those converting to Islam and Christianity and those converting to the Buddhist, Jain or Sikh faiths. Only those converting to Islam and Christianity have to report to the government. The amendment, passed amidst enormous opposition, takes away the fundamental rights guaranteed to an individual. The Constitution of India states that an individual has the right to "freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion".
The Anti-conversion Act was passed in 2003 but not executed due to lack of clarity on aspects such as the meaning of forced conversion and to whom it should apply. Gujarat government officials said that "the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill 2006 was brought to have clarity to the Act".
Further, we express concern that the amendment also states that Jainism and Buddhism shall be understood as denominations of the Hindu religion. Hamid Ansari, chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, said: "I think legislators cannot, and should not, decide the religious identity of a community this way. This decision has to be taken by the community itself in a democratic manner." EFI is in agreement with the chairman's comments.
The amendment will come to pass only after the assent of Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma to the bill. The governor has one of four choices in regard to the bill. "He can give his assent, withhold his assent, reserve the bill for the consideration of the president or return the bill to the assembly with a message for its reconsideration."
We urge the Governor of Gujarat to withhold his assent and reserve the bill for the consideration of the president.
We also advise the Christian community to protest against the amendment by writing to the Governor of Gujarat. Letters or faxes can be sent to the following:
Governor of Gujarat
Shri Nawal Kishore Sharma
Raj Bhavan, Sector-20,
Gandhinagar-382020, Gujarat
(Off): (079) 23243171 to 3243173
Secretary: (Off) (079) 23243598,
(079) 23243171 to 73
Fax: (079) 232-31121
Rev. Richard Howell
General Secretary
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