Indian Christian Organisations have urged the Governor of Rajasthan in Jaipur not to sign the so called Rajasthan Freedom of Religion Bill 2006.

In an appeal on behalf of the Christian Council, the Catholic Union and the Justice and peace Commission, among others, National Integration Council member Dr John Dayal said the Governor should use her statutory powers to reject and return the Bill and not to make it law.

Dr Dayal presented to the Governor two detailed legal opinions ? the first by Supreme Court Senior Advocate Rajeev Dhawan, a universally acknowledged authority on Constitutional Law and Human rights, explaining that the bill went against Constitutional guarantees and would tarnish the image of Rajasthan and India. The texts have also been sent to the Prime Minister of India and the President of India.

The Rajasthan state Freedom of Religion Bill 2006, was rushed through the State Assembly this month in unholy haste by the state Government of Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje Scindia, despite total and strong opposition by the non-BJP parties.

The entire Civil society of Rajasthan met in Jaipur on 1 April and expressed their concern at the Bill and its contents, its intention and nefarious motives, which were nothing less than to divide the people on religious lines and injure the secular polity of the state and the nation.

Dr Dayal told the Governor "such medieval and backward looking bills go counter to every single International covenant, which India has signed, and bring a bad name to the country. This Bill will also have an impact on the
fair reputation and goodwill of the state of Rajasthan which is now advertising heavily in Western Countries to both improve its potential as a tourist destination, and as a modern state on the move inviting foreign capital, collaboration and businesses for its economic growth and the improvement of the lot of its otherwise exceedingly poor people."

"The responsibility lies on you as Governor to check this backward slide and this disastrous move. The Constitution gives you full powers. There are many precedents where Governors have moved and prevent unjust Acts from becoming the law. We therefore request you to please Reject and return the Bill when the Government presents it before you for your formal Assent to make it law. Please also advise the Government of the State not to go through with such divisive and coercive legislation which is bad in law," the appeal said. "I am sure Your Excellency will see merit in ensuring that this Black Act is NOT made into a Black law," Dr. Dayal added.

Dr. Dayal also sent to the Governor apart from the legal opinion the Rajasthan Freedom of Religion Bill by Supreme Court Senior Advocate Rajeev Dhawan, legal opinion of CSW International advocacy group, and the report on Kota sent earlier to the Prime Minister of India.

In his legal opinion, the Senior advocate has said the Rajasthan bill is constitutionally invalid and flawed because it seeks to impose restrict the right to freedom of religion and speech on the grounds of law and order, which is constitutionally impermissible. The direct and inevitable effect of the bill is not only to regulate conversions, but also to cripple the right of religions, especially minority religions to propagate their faith. He said the Bill affects the rights of an individual to be converted, which is a part of the fundamental right to religion;

The bill is partisan in its purpose and intent as it seeks to protect the community from which the conversions are taking place; the provisions of the bill are over inclusive and provide enough loopholes for abuse of the powers under the bill. The Bill violates the requirements of due process and ignores principle of criminal jurisprudence. the statement said.