Governor Draudpadi Murmu India’s Catholic bishops have rejected a bill they believe is designed to retain a Hindu-only state.
India now has seven states with a law against religious conversions, after the governor of Jharkhand signed into effect the controversial bill.
Governor Draudpadi Murmu signed her approval despite protests from Christian groups and opposition parties, who said that such a law was needless and targets Christian missionaries.
The Jharkhand Freedom of Religion Act 2017 criminalises religious conversion from one religion to another by use of force or allurement or by fraudulent means.
It also stipulates that those wanting to convert should seek government permission.
Violators face jail terms and fines.
All seven Catholic bishops in the state, led by Cardinal Telesphore Toppo of Ranchi, had met Murmu last month urging her to reject the bill.
Catholic leaders such as Prabhaakr Tirkey said the state government run by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party pushed for the law to provide hard-line Hindus with a tool to work against Christian missionaries as they work to make India a Hindu-only state.
