Ranchi, Sept. 8: All Churches Committee, Ranchi (ACCR) today again asked governor Droupadi Murmu to reconsider her stand on the twin bills on religious conversion curbs and land acquisition changes, warning that their enactment would lead to social anarchy.

Two days ago, governor Murmu gave her assent to the contentious Jharkhand Freedom of Religion Act-2017 bill and consent to Jharkhand Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Act-2017. Both had gone to Raj Bhavan after being passed by the state Assembly last month.

Murmu's assent to the religion bill means it will soon be an Act from the day of its gazette notification.

Her consent to other bill, a part of central land acquisition laws, means it will now be sent for Presidential assent.

Speaking to the Ranchi media today, ACCR representatives requested the governor to reconsider.

'We request the governor to hold the land bill and not send to the President. We know she gave her assent to the religious bill but we also want it to be reconsidered, knowing well nothing can be done now,' said Cyril Hans, senior member of ACCR, who was part of a three-member team at the news meet today.

ACCR chairman Reverend A.J. Ekka said both bills were 'unwarranted and unfortunate', aimed to further alienate tribals from their own land and right to practice the religion of their choice.

'Sarna and Christian tribals have lived in harmony, but the religion bill aims at introducing a rift between them. A non-issue is now being made into an issue,' said Hans.

Questioning the very logic of the religion bill, which has apparently come into existence to crack down on individuals and outfits forcing conversions, Hans said, 'The state has no data to show forced conversion. The population census data clearly shows the Christian population among adivasis has remained absolutely stagnant. Where are the forced conversions?'

He and other members also spoke of their fears of lynching over religious conversion.

'People have been killed for gau raksha. You can't rule out lynching in name of preventing religious conversion,' ACCR members warned.

Ekka added the Constitution empowered an Indian citizen to profess and practise religion of his/her choice and separate laws exist to prevent forced conversion.

'A separate bill for Jharkhand is nothing but divisive politics,' he said.

On land amendment bill, they reiterated it went against the spirit of PESA 1996 and Forest Rights Act, 2006.

'The clause of social impact assessment has been removed from the old law,' Hans told the media.

'The government's land bank contains forcibly acquired tribal land. Hence, this amendment tool has been adopted to keep tribals permanently away from their land.'