Congress urges Governor not to assent to Anti-Conversion Bill, Land Bill amendment

Ranchi, Aug 16 (IANS) The Jharkhand Congress on Wednesday urged Governor Draupadi Murmu not to give her consent to the Anti-Conversion Bill and the amendment to the Land Acquisition Act 2013.

"A party delegation met the Governor and requested her not to given consent to the Religious Freedom Bill 2017 and amendment in the Land Acquisition Act 2017," Kishore Sahdeo, Jharkhand Congress General Secretary, told IANS.

The Jharkhand Congress delegation was led by state party president Sukhdeo Bhagat and leader of the legislature wing of the Congress party Aalamgir Aalam.

Both bills were passed by the Jharkhand Assembly during the Monsoon Session on August 12.

The Congress has objected the state government move to exempt the social impact assessment for important social and economic projects, in the amendment to the Land Acquisition Act 2013.

Such projects are identified as schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, panchayat buildings, anganwadi centres, waterways, electrification and irrigation projects and drinking water pipeline.

"By exempting the social impact assessment, the state government is trying to take away the rights of the poor along with those who work on the land and those who are also dependant on its produce for their livelihood," the party said.

The Congress memorandum to the Governor says the legislation on religious freedom is an attack on the fundamental rights provided to the people by the Constitution of India.

In the bill, which forbids conversion through allurement or coercion, the Jharkhand government has made provision of imprisonment of three to four years and fine of Rs 50,000-Rs one lakh if a person is forced to convert to another religion.