New Delhi: When the Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed the anti-conversion Freedom of Religion Act 2006 last December, the Congress party could not have imagined the adverse reactions it would bring from minority groups, especially Christians, even from outside the state.
They say the law, the first ever to have been passed by a Congress government in recent years, goes against the party’s commitment to allow Indians freedom to “practise, profess and propagate” their faith. Usually seen at the forefront for defending the party, the groups now say the law amounts to a breach of faith. Several Christian clerics, heads of Christian organisations and even the Vice-Chairman of a State Minorities Commission have written to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the past few weeks in this regard. Other four states (Gujarat, MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan), had also passed similar anti-conversion laws despite the Congress Party opposition. There are about 10,000 Christians in Himachal out of a total population of 64 lakh. (Indian Express, March 9, 2007).
