Dehradun (Rajeev Sharma): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to strengthen the state’s existing law against unlawful religious conversions. The move, he said, aims to curb any activities that could potentially alter the demographic structure of the state.
In a high-level meeting held on Monday, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for stricter enforcement and legal provisions to prevent forced or fraudulent conversions. “Any attempt to change the demography of Uttarakhand will be dealt with sternly,” he stated, according to an official release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
To intensify surveillance and enforcement, the government will constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) at the police headquarters level to oversee Operation Kalanemi, a focused drive aimed at identifying and dismantling networks involved in illegal conversions.
The SIT will be tasked with investigating organized efforts behind such activities and ensuring that culprits are brought to justice swiftly under the provisions of the anti-conversion law. The operation is expected to involve coordination with district police units and intelligence agencies.
The Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, already prohibits conversion through force, fraud, or allurement. However, with growing concerns over targeted efforts in sensitive regions, the state government is moving to introduce amendments to make the law more stringent and its implementation more effective.
The Chief Minister reiterated his commitment to preserving the cultural and social fabric of Uttarakhand and said that those found violating the law would face severe consequences.
