Laws of faith

Ahead of assembly polls, the BJP is focused on pro-Hindutva legislation like the anti-conversion bill

- PRATHIMA NANDAKUMAR

KARNATAKA BECAME THE ninth state in the country to introduce a bill to make forced conversion a cognisable and non-bailable offence. The “Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021” was passed in the assembly during the recently concluded winter session at Belagavi on December 23. However, the bill needs to be passed in the legislative council. The ruling BJP has decided to table the bill only in the next session as it lacks majority in the 75-member upper house.

The bill tabled by Home Minister Araga Jnanendra was met with stiff opposition from the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), while the Christian community has been holding a series of protests demanding its withdrawal. The proposed bill prohibits unlawful conversion by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement, or by any fraudulent means. It bans conversion for marriage, a long pending demand of right-wing activists who allege a spike in the ‘love jihad’ cases. Reconversion into Hinduism has been, however, kept out of its ambit as the BJP contends it is a homecoming of Hindus who have converted to a religion of foreign origin.