BJP-led Karnataka govt tables anti-conversion bill in Legislative Council

BENGALURU: The Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government tabled the anti-conversion Bill in the Karnataka Legislative Council on Thursday. The Bill, which prohibits forced religious conversions, was adopted by the Legislative Assembly in December 2021.

Law Minister J C Madhu Swamy highlighted that the act restricts forceful conversions. “We haven’t made any amendments which can prevent voluntary conversion. We have made amendments to restrict forceful conversions. We are protecting our religion, we have brought this bill to stop forceful conversion. Nowhere we have restricted anybody’s desire,” he told the Council.

Law Minister J C Madhuswamy speaking in the Council.

Earlier in the day, BJP MLA C T Ravi said that the anti-conversion Bill will be passed in the Council as no one supports conversion. However, Congress MLC Nagaraj termed religious conversion a “private matter” and a person’s right of choice.

“The (anti-conversion) bill will pass in the numbers game as well. No one supports conversion and we will not be scared of the mafia. The bill should pass,” Ravi said.

“It is unfortunate as there are so many issues in state after floods. What is the urgency of doing such things? They want to polarise… this is not acceptable to people as they want to live in brotherhood. It is their right of choice, is a private matter,” Congress MLC Nagaraj said.

Before the Bill was tabled, BJP MLC DS Arun said, “Even the Congress and JDS must support this Bill. Everything should go smoothly. It was passed in the Lower House, and it should be done in the Upper House now. We’re all enthusiastic it will be passed and it is one of the most awaited bills.”

Last December, amid ruckus by the Opposition, the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, or anti-conversion Bill, was passed in the Legislative Assembly but due to the lack of majority, it was not presented in the Council.

The CM and Opposition leader B K Hariprasad engage in a debate.

The government decided to present the proposal in the Council on Thursday as the BJP now has a majority and the possibility of passing the bill has increased.

The Bill will provide for the protection of the right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means.

The Bill gives the right to any person to file a complaint against religious conversion, protecting the right to freedom of religion in the state. It proposes imprisonment of up to 10 years for forced religious conversion and the offense is made to be a non-bailable and cognizable.

According to the new law, any converted person, his parents, brother, sister, or any other person who is related to him by blood, marriage, adoption, or in any form associated, or colleague may file a complaint of such conversion.

The Bill has the purpose of prohibiting unlawful conversion of religion, providing protection to those who were forced to convert from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement, the promise of marriage, or by any fraudulent means and for the matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

“No person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any other person from one religion to another by use or practice of force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by any other means or promise of marriage, nor shall any person abet or conspire such conversion,” the Bill stated.

The Bill was introduced by the BJP government in the Assembly last year after which it sparked a controversy and was opposed by Opposition parties in the state.(ANI)