Karnataka Legislative Council passes anti-conversion Bill

The Bill has been vehemently opposed by some Christian community leaders

Amid protests, the Karnataka Legislative Council passed a Bill that seeks to regulate religious conversions on Thursday.

The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, popularly known as the anti-conversion law, was piloted by Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, triggering protests by the Congress and JD(S).

While the Bill was passed by the Assembly in December last year, the BJP did not have a majority in the upper House. In May this year, the government promulgated an ordinance to give effect to the law.

Now, however, the BJP has 39 in the 75-member Legislative Council, which ensured the Bill's passage. After the Governor's assent, the law will come into effect from May 17, 2022, when the ordinance was promulgated.

The proposed law prohibits conversion "from one religion to another by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by any of these means or by promise of marriage".

The Bill has caused anxiety, especially among a section of Christians.

The Opposition argued that the Bill was "unconstitutional" and demanded its withdrawal. In defence, the ruling BJP said the Bill would curb 'forced' religious conversions.

Leader of the Opposition in the Council B K Hariprasad accused the government of trying to amend the Constitution with the Bill. "This House has no rights to amend the Constitution and this Bill is completely illegal," he said, citing Article 25 (freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion).

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai clarified that the Bill was not in violation of Consitutional provisions. "We are not opposing religious conversion itself. We are trying to stop forceful conversion and conversion that takes advantage of the weakness of people belonging to some communities," he said.

Bommai pointed out that the intent of the Bill was to make conversions legal. "We are just asking those who wish to convert to notify to the government to make sure that it is willful and legal," he said.

Congress' working president Saleem Ahmed accused the BJP of "a hidden agenda" to divide the society. "There is no hidden agenda or vote-bank politics," Jnanendra said. "Some communities trying to increase their numbers and are involved in illegal activities."

The Bill will allow anyone connected to the converted person to file a complaint. "If the converted person belonged to an SC community, then he or she would lose facilities and entitlements meant for SCs. That's why we have given this provision for any nearest person to file a complaint," Jnanendra explained.

The minister even pointed that the Bill was drafted when the Siddaramaiah-led Congress was in power.

Hariprasad was seen tearing the Bill when Council chairperson Raghunath Rao Malkapure put it to a voice vote.

Allurement means: any gift in cash or kind, employment, free school/college education by any religious body, marriage, better lifestyle, divine displeasure, glorifying one religion against another religion.

Religion Convertor: Father, priest, purohit, pandit, moulvi or mulla who performs any act of religious conversion.

Penalties:

* Forced conversion: 3-5 years jail, Rs 25,000 fine.

* Converting a minor, woman or an SC/ST person: 3-10 years jail, Rs 50,000 fine.

* Mass conversion: 3-10 years jail, Rs 1 lakh fine.

* Failure to declare: 1-3 years jail, Rs 10,000 fine.

* Converter failing to declare: 1-5 years jail, Rs 25,000 fine.