BANGALORE: Noted Kannada writer M Chidananda Murthy on Friday demanded that the state enact a legislation against conversion, on the lines of the Madhya Pradesh Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam of 1968.
“In 1939, Mahatma Gandhi stated that religious conversions were harmful to India and if he had the power and could legislate, he would certainly stop all proselytising. Now, our politicians have that power, but why don’t they control conversions?” he asked, at the sidelines of a meet on conversions in the state.
When states like Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Gujarat have strict regulations and Acts against religious conversions, Karnataka should also implement one such, he said.
“Two years ago, a panel headed by me met the Chief Minister to implement an Act in this regard,” he said.
According to Murthy, in areas like Hubli and Davanagere, even those belonging to upper classes were being converted. “In 2004, about 3,000 Lingayats were converted,” he said.
Novelist Dr S L Bhyrappa accused politicians of being concerned only with the vote bank.
“They don’t care about religious conversions.
Everybody talks about the right to speech and right to freedom of expression, but nobody touches the central point of conversion,” he said.
Chairperson of Karnataka Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited Dr Mangala Sridhar quoted instances of tribal people being converted. “Many educational institutions run by Christian missionaries indulge in such activities,” he said.