Karnataka's 'Anti-conversion' bill: BJP counters Congress, says Siddaramaiah signed draft of Bill in 2016

"Our intention behind bringing this bill is to protect SC, ST communities and women," Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai said.

Belagavi: Former Karnataka chief minister and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah has termed the anti-conversion Bill passed by the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday as "anti-Constitution and anti-human being" and `RSS agenda`, to which the ruling BJP countered Congress that the draft of a bill on similar lines had been prepared in 2016 by the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah.

Amid the ruckus by the Opposition, Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 or anti-conversion bill.

In the assembly, JC Madhuswamy, State Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister placed on the record that this bill was actually initiated by the Siddaramaiah-led government in 2016.

Speaking to the reporters here after the bill was passed amid the ruckus by the Opposition, Siddaramaiah said, "It is anti-Constitution and anti-human being. It is not a question of religions, all religions are equal and are equally respected in the Constitution."

Siddaramaiah also called the bill an `RSS agenda` and further alleged that the drafted bill prepared in 2016 was completely different from what the current state government has drafted in 2021.

Reacting to Siddaramaiah`s remark, Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai said, "Certainly, there is nothing to hide. He (Siddaramaiah) himself had printed the Bill and signed the draft. He is a part of it. He approved the RSS agenda in 2016 itself."

Bommai added, "We know the situation of SC and ST. They are ignored and remain vulnerable. Our intention behind bringing this bill is to protect SC, ST communities and women." 

The Bill will provide for the protection of the right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means. It proposes imprisonment of up to 10 years for forced religious conversion.