The Basavaraj Bommai government said the legislation had been initiated by the grand old party with Siddaramaiah in the chief minister’s chair. The ruling camp also placed documents to support its claim before the House.
The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed a controversial anti-conversion bill titled 'Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021' amid uproar from the opposition.
Minister Ashwat Narayan said that this is a much awaited bill which will create harmony in the society. “It will facilitate transparency and accountability. This is a forward-looking bill that will address many of the challenges being faced at present,” the minister was quoted as saying by news agency ANI on the passage of the law in the assembly.
During the discussion on the bill, the opposition Congress seemed to be on the backfoot with the Basavaraj Bommai-led government, claiming that the law was initiated by the grand old party with Siddaramaiah in the chief minister's chair. The ruling camp also laid before the House documents to support its claim.
While Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah initially denied the allegations, he later looked at the records in the Speaker's office, after which he admitted that as Chief Minister he had to place only a draft Bill in this regard before the House. Said. cabinet and no decision was taken on that.
Stating that the Congress in its present form strongly opposed the bill, which it said was "anti-people", "inhuman", "anti-constitutional", "anti-poor" and "harsh", the senior Congress leader said. That the bill should not be passed. for any reason and should be withdrawn by the Govt.
Earlier in the day, introducing the bill for consideration, Home Minister Araga Gyanendra said that the law is not against any religion and that eight states have passed and are implementing such a law and Karnataka will become the ninth .
Observing that conversion has become a menace and citing the recent statement of Hosadurga MLA Goolihatti Shekhar that his mother has been converted to Christianity, the minister said that the issue of conversion has made a difference in the society, especially There has been friction in rural areas, and there have been recent incidents of suicides in Udupi and Mangaluru involving religious conversions.
The bill provides for protection of the right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, inducement or any fraudulent means.