Karnataka: Siddaramaiah-led Congress government repeals anti-conversion law

In line with its anti-Hindu poll promises, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress govt in Karnataka has announced that it will repeal the anti-conversion law.

The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting and the amendment will be introduced in the Budget session next month. The decision was announced by Karnataka Law Minister HK Patil.

The Congress government has decided to repeal the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022, popularly known as the anti-conversion law, which was introduced by the previous BJP govt. It was passed by the assembly in December 2021. Congress had opposed the bill at that time.

What is the Anti-Conversion Law?

The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act “provides for protection of 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 further “prohibits conversion from one religion to another religion by misrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by promise of marriage.”

Violation of the law was punishable with imprisonment for a term of three years, which could extend to five years, and a fine of ₹25,000. If the conversion involved a minor child or a person of unsound mind or a woman or a person belonging to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, the imprisonment term was extended to ten years.

The Congress had staged a walkout from the Assembly when the Bill was passed by the then-govt. It used as many adjectives as available in the English dictionary calling the Bill “anti-people”, “inhuman”, “anti-constitutional”, “anti-poor” and “draconian”.

Several cases were filed in the state under the Act since it was implemented. More than one case was reported every month.

Congress heeding demands of Amnesty International?

On 23 May, 2023, the dubious organisation Amnesty International that closed its office in India after multiple agencies started probing against it over allegations of FCRA violation, raised a list of anti-Hindu demands for the Congress govt in Karnataka.

In its demands, it called to remove the hijab ban in schools, allow cow slaughter and take action against Hindus who boycott Muslim shops.

Notably, Karnataka’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences Minister K Venkatesh had recently remarked, “What is wrong with slaughtering cows?”

It seems from where its headed that the Siddaramaiah govt might as well meet these demands.

More controversial decisions announced

Revising the state syllabus, the Karnataka govt has decided to remove chapters on RSS founder BK Hedgewar and freedom fighter Veer Savarkar.

The revised syllabus will instead include chapters on Jawaharlal Nehru and Ambedkar.

The Karnataka Cabinet has also made mandatory the reading of the Preamble of the Constitution in schools and colleges.

Source: OpIndia