SC certificates of anyone other than Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs will be cancelled: Maharashtra CM Fadnavis
"If anyone from religions other than Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism has availed an SC certificate or reservation, their validity certificates and caste certificates will be cancelled with due procedure. If anyone has availed benefits like government jobs, action will be taken against them," he said.
"Recovery (of monetary benefits) will be recommended from those who have availed benefits using fraudulently obtained caste certificates," he said.
BJP leader Chitra Wagh said there have been cases where women were duped into marriage by hiding the husband's religion.
She cited a case in Sangli where a woman married into a family which secretly followed Christianity.
The woman suffered torture and was forced to change her religion, leading to her death while she was seven months pregnant, Wagh said.
A person can follow any religion and convert another person with consent, but law does not permit the use of force, cheating or enticement for conversion, the chief minister said.
"Complaints of coercion or inducement for conversion will lead to investigation and action against the concerned organisation," Fadnavis added.
The state government had formed a panel headed by the Director General of Police (DGP) to make recommendations to deal with such cases, and it has submitted its report, he said.
The government will study it and bring in new (legal) provisions so that conversions do not happen by force or cheating, he said.
"Action can be taken under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in such cases. But a panel was formed to suggest strict provisions. The state government intends to bring in strong provisions to deal with such cases, and we will take a decision on this soon," he said.
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