Congress govt may revise only parts of anti-conversion laws to blunt BJP attack

BENGALURU: After announcing that it will repeal the anti-conversion law introduced by the previous BJP government, the Congress government seems to be planning not to give ammunition to the saffron party to play the Hindutva card.

The BJP and Sangh Parivar organisations have already warned of statewide protest if the anti-conversion law is repealed. The Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal have been holding protest in different parts of the state, including Bengaluru, since Friday.

A protest was held in Kolar too on Saturday.

The Congress government may drop only some select provisions in the rules introduced by the BJP dispensation and introduce new stipulations to put the BJP on the backfoot.

The Assembly session is expected to start in early July and the Law Department is studying which sections of the anti-conversion laws can be amended. The Congress is keen to ensure that the BJP does not milk the issue for its Hindutva agenda.

In Chamarajanagar, the activists staged at sit-in at the DC’s office on Saturday.

The BJP government had introduced certain provisions like seeking the deputy commissioner’s approval 60 days prior to voluntary religious conversion, one month prior application by the person facilitating the conversion and no nod for conversion if any objection is received within two months.

The buzz in political circles is that the present Congress government may drop only 3-4 stipulations and introduce new ones so as to not give the BJP any ammunition against it.