BENGALURU: Amidst strong opposition by the Congress and JDS members, the BJP government passed the contentious Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill 2022, also know as anti-conversion Bill, which makes forcible conversions a non-bailable and punishable offence, in the Legislative Council, on Thursday.
Karnataka becomes the tenth state in the country to enact such a law. The state assembly had passed the Bill in December 2021 but was tabled in the Council as the ruling BJP lacked the numbers to get the Bill cleared in the Upper House then. However, after the recent elections to the Council, the BJP has gained a majority. In May this year, the government promulgated an ordinance, which was criticised by the opposition.
The minimum jail term for offences under the newly-enacted law is three years with a penalty ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh. Marriages with the sole purpose of unlawful conversions will be declared null and void by the courts on the filing of a petition either by the wife or the husband.
The House witnessed acrimonious scenes when Home Minister Araga Jnanendra proposed to pass the Bill after a five-hour debate. A few Congress members, including Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council, BK Hariprasad, tore the copies of the Bill, raised slogans against the BJP government, and accused the protem Chairman Raghunath Rao Malkapure of not being democratic, before staging a walkout.
New law will not stop anyone from choosing their religion: Bommai
Jnanendra, who tabled the Bill, said the state has witnessed many instances of conversion by allurement, coercion, force, fraudulent means and also mass conversions in the recent years. “The incidents caused disturbance of public order and currently there is no legislation in existence in the state to prevent such instances, which cause disturbance to public order, and to punish persons indulged in such conversions.”
He added that many Dalits, who had converted to other religions, were getting benefits provided for Dalits even after conversion while also enjoying the benefits offered to minorities. “The new law will stop such persons from snatching away the facilities provided for Dalits,” he said.
During the discussion on the Bill, the opposition members termed the bill ‘unconstitutional’ and that it would snatch people’s fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution to profess, practice and propagate any religion of their choice.
The Upper House witnessed heated exchange of words between the members of the ruling and opposition parties, including CM Basavaraj Bommai and opposition leader Hariprasad. The latter said the Bill was a conspiracy against equality and to continued treating Dalits and people from other underprivileged sections as second-grade citizens.
He also said the hidden agenda was to target minorities and said the Christian population in the country was seeing a declining trend. “As per the census in 2001 and 2011, the Christian population was 2.34% and 2.30% respectively, in India, and the same in Karnataka was 1.91% and 1.87%,” he said. “Those who feel there is no equality and respect for them in their religion will leave it and embrace another religion. Why do you need to stop them from choosing the religion they want?” Hariprasad questioned.
Bommai clarified that the new law will not stop anyone from choosing any religion but only prohibits forcible conversion and conversion done by allurement. The ruling party members joined him in saying this was not an anti-conversion Bill but was to protect religions.
PUNISHMENT
Jail term of 3 years to 5 years with Rs 25,000 as penalty for first-time offence.
Jail term of 3 years to 10 years with Rs 50,000 penalty for converting minors, persons of unsound mind, women, or persons belonging to the SC/ST.
Jail term of 3 years to 10 years with Rs 1 lakh penalty for mass (two or more) conversion
Jail term not less than 5 years with Rs 2 lakh penalty for second-time offence.