BENGALURU: Home Minister Araga Jnanendra says the Anti-Conversion Bill is not against any religion and there is no need for any apprehension in any community. “The government is fully committed to providing protection to all communities. The Bill is to stop forcible conversion in the state,” the Home Minister told The New Sunday Express. Excerpts:
Will you bring the Anti-Conversion Bill in the legislature session starting from Monday in Belagavi?
Yes, we will. The process is underway and the Bill is almost ready. It will be brought during the session in Belagavi (from December 13 to 24). Religious conversion by force or inducements is wrong and we are bringing the law to prevent it. Many states have similar laws. We have studied similar laws in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and other states.
There is a lot of apprehension among the Christian community about the Bill. How will you address it?
The Bill is not against any religion — Christians, Muslims or Hindus. People are free to practice their religion and the government is fully committed to protecting everyone. Promoting one religion by finishing another is not a religion and we are bringing the Bill to streamline it. There is no need for any apprehension among the Christian community or others.
Your views on the police in Belagavi reportedly issuing directives to people from the Christian community against holding prayer meetings in houses.
No, that is not true. Police are only following the rules and no other directive is given to them. However, in the name of holding prayer meetings, they cannot call people to meetings for conversion. Forcible conversion is against the Constitution and the police will stop it.
A report that was released recently in Bengaluru says Karnataka stands third in the country and first in South India in the number of attacks on Christians in 2021. Your views.
Many reports are coming out from different backgrounds. Official publication from the government is the fact. Many representatives from the Christian community had met me recently and I have told them there is no need for any fear or apprehension. There will be no disturbance to their prayers or the community in any way.
The Opposition criticised your comments on police taking bribes. How do you respond?
I have already clarified it. There was an attempt to kill those trying to stop a vehicle transporting cattle in my taluk. They sustained grievous injuries and we admitted them to a hospital. I was pained by it. At the same time, I got a call about a similar incident in Chikkamagaluru. I spoke in that background and it was only about those police personnel and not in general. As a Home Minister, I have a lot of respect for the police and the work they do day and night. We know what will happen if they don’t work even for a single day.
During the session, Congress is said to be preparing to put the government on the mat over the probe in the Bitcoin hacking case.
Let them raise any issue in the session, we are capable of responding to it. The government is not worried about it.
Farmers are urging elected representatives to discuss their issues in the session and not waste time. Can people expect any meaningful discussion during the session?
It is a good suggestion by farmers. The issues related to farmers and the development of the region must be discussed at length in the session. We will do it. We expect the Opposition to cooperate with the government to ensure that we will have a meaningful discussion during the session.