Madhya Pradesh's anti-conversion law sees 58% acquittals, seven convictions in five years
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh’s stringent anti-religious conversion law, often referred to as the ‘anti-Love Jihad’ law, has recorded a significantly higher rate of acquittals than convictions in its first five and a half years of enforcement.
In a written reply to BJP MLA Ashish Govind Sharma, cited by The New Indian Express on Wednesday, the state government revealed that from January 1, 2020, to July 15, 2025, a total of 283 cases were registered under the MP Freedom of Religion Ordinance 2020 and its successor, the MP Freedom of Religion Act 2021.
Of these, 197 cases (about 70%) are still under trial in various courts, while 86 cases (30%) have either reached a verdict or are still under police investigation.
Among the 86 cases, 50 ended in acquittal, accounting for 58%, while only seven resulted in conviction.
Police sources, quoted by TNIE, attributed the low conviction rate to lack of evidence and witnesses turning hostile. In many cases, female complainants later testified that their relationships were consensual and voluntary, with no coercion or inducement involved.
“In many cases, during trial in the cases, the female victims stated before the court that they were in consensual relationship with the man of the other religion, they married men from other religion on their volition and were staying with them on their own, bereft of any fear, threat, pressure or enticement,” TNIE quoted its source as saying.
In some cases involving minors, families reportedly admitted that FIRs were filed under societal pressure, only to retract their statements later, dismantling the prosecution's case.
The MP Freedom of Religion Ordinance 2020 and its successor MP Freedom of Religion Act 2021 were promulgated to regulate religious conversions in the state. It aims to prohibit conversion through coercion, force, misrepresentation, undue influence, allurement, fraud, or marriage.
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Right to vote under threat, must be made fundamental right: Cong's Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Thursday that the right to vote is under threat and the time has come when it should be made a fundamental right for citizens.
Speaking with reporters, Ramesh lashed out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the Election Commission (EC) has never been as compromised as it has been under him.
"The rot started under his predecessor. This man is a player and not a neutral observer," the Congress leader said, slamming Kumar.
Kumar is completely compromised and has become a player in elections, he alleged.
"Home Minister Amit Shah had talked about three Ds -- detect, delete and deport. So we want to know how many non-Indian citizens have been detected, how many have been deleted and how many have been deported," Ramesh said, adding that the right to vote is now under threat.
On opposition parties submitting a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to move a motion for the CEC's removal, the Congress leader said they will continue to make efforts for Kumar's removal as he is "compromised".
Ramesh also batted for the right to vote to be recognised as a fundamental right.
"I believe that the time has come that the right to vote should be made a fundamental right. It is a statutory right, it is not a fundamental right. Fundamental rights are justiciable," he said.
The former Union minister said this was discussed in the Constituent Assembly, but it was eventually decided that it should be made part of the Constitution.
B R Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram had warned that in the future, governments might try to disenfranchise voters, he added.
"Once and for all, include the right to vote as a fundamental right for Indian citizens," Ramesh asserted.
