Karnataka govt to implement contentious anti-conversion bill through ordinance

The bill has been passed in the Legislative Assembly and it is yet to be presented in the Legislative Council, said Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra.

Bengaluru:The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to promulgate an ordinance to give effect to the contentious law against religious conversions. The bill has been passed in the Legislative Assembly and it is yet to be presented in the Legislative Council, said Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra. The implementation of the bill which proposes stringent measures on religious conversion activities is going to create a lot of chaos in the state.

The move from the BJP in Karnataka came following Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Wednesday. "We decided to pass anti-conversion Bill which is approved in cabinet meeting through an ordinance to the Governor", Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs J.C. Madhuswamy told media persons after the state cabinet meeting. Karnataka cabinet meeting held on Thursday.

The bill that was passed by the Legislative Assembly 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 proposes an imprisonment from three to five years with a fine of Rs 25,000, while for violation of provisions with respect to minors, women, SC/ST, the offenders will face imprisonment from three to ten years and a fine of not less than Rs 50,000.

The bill also makes provisions for the accused to pay up to Rs 5 lakh as compensation to those who were made to convert, and with regards to cases of mass conversion there shall be a 3-10 year jail term and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh. It also states that any marriage which has happened for the sole purpose of unlawful conversion or vice-versa by the man of one religion with the woman of another, either by converting himself before or after marriage or by converting the woman before or after marriage, shall be declared as null and void by the family court. The offense under this bill is non-bailable and cognizable.

The bill that was opposed by Christian community leaders among others, mandates that persons who wish to convert to another faith shall give a declaration in a prescribed format at least 30 days in advance to the District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate specially authorised by the District Magistrate in this regard of his residing district or place of birth within the state. Also the religious converter who performs the conversion shall give 30 days advance notice in a format, to the District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate.