COLOMBO, June 30: Non-Buddhist sections of the population have protested the proposed bill prohibiting conversion from Buddhism to other religions.

The Catholic Church and mainline churches in Sri Lanka have issued a statement slamming the proposed bill as one that would destroy freedom of choice. Muslims and Hindus are expected to join the Catholics in their protests.

The Catholic Bishops Conference and the National Christian Council, in a joint statement, said they that apart from being a serious violation of personal freedom, the bill would pave the way for oppression of minority religions in the country.

According to the bill, charges will be levelled against any organization or person who carries out or attempts to carry out religious conversions utilising money. In the case of conversion of children, the penalty would be seven years of imprisonment and a fine of five hundred thousand. Buddhism is practised by 74 per cent of the country's 19 million population.