Bhopal, India - Minorities in Madhya Pradesh have come together to fight the new Freedom of Religion Bill.
This is the first time that minorities, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists, in the state have come on one platform to fight the policies of the BJP government.
The MP Minorities Council is led by a Muslim cleric based in Bhopal and the treasurer is a former member of the State Minorities Commission, and the first thing on their agenda is the newly-amended Freedom of Religion Bill.
The bill stipulates that anyone who wants to convert must inform the collector a month in advance, and the person who will perform the conversion must inform 15 days in advance.
If this is not done, the offender can be sent to jail for a year and fined Rs 5,000.
Infringement of rights
"This kind of law infringes our rights. We are against it, and if we don't get justice then Muslims, Christians and Buddhists will take to the streets," said BS Sagar, Secretary, MP Minorities Council.
In the past three years, there have been various incidents of violence against Christians.
Churches in Jhabua were vandalized and missionaries were attacked in Jabalpur. There were also incidents in Indore and Dhar. The government, however, is dismissive of the newly formed council.
"These are small time leaders who come together to get attention. They have no support from the public," said Narendra Singh Tomar.
Although there are only a few members of the council, they hope to enlist as many members as possible across the state.
Also they have tried for the first time to provide an alternative for the minorities other than the State Minorities Commission.
But the question is whether they will they be able to make any real difference.