Karnataka govt mulls formulating Anti-Conversion Act after Madhya Pradesh, Himachal, UP

With the aim of working against forced religious conversion in the state, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that the state government has been contemplating bringing an Anti-Conversion Act very soon. As per the act, a law will be established against religious conversion either by force or by inducement and will invite punishments for violations.

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, CM Bommai said that the law against religious conversions will be brought under the view of the growing cases of forced conversions in the state. He further gave appropriate directions to district administrations on not allowing any religious conversion in the state. 

His statement came in relevance to the recent incidents of religious conversions in Kalaburagi and Byadarahalli in Karnataka. Keeping such incidents in view, the Karnataka government is now considering a law against such activities. 

State government officials on law against religious conversion

Several government officials from the Karnataka Cabinet have been speaking against forced religious conversions in the state. Earlier last week, State Home Minister Araga Jnanendra spoke at the Legislative Assembly and said that the government is looking forward to enacting a law for regulating religious conversion. During this while, he also gave the example of the ruling BJP MLA  from Hosadurga who said that his own mother converted to Christianity due to inducement. 

Earlier on September 22, Catholic bishops of Karnataka held a meeting with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to present unrest over a proposed law to ban forcible religious conversions in Karnataka. The delegation of bishops was led by the Archbishop of Bangalore Reverend Peter Machado.

Meanwhile, many other states including Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh have already established such laws to prevent forced religious conversions.

(With agency inputs, Image: PTI)