Karnataka: Congress Government To Repeal Anti-Conversion Law Introduced By BJP Regime To Combat Predatory Proselytisation

In a major development, the Congress-led Karnataka government has decided to repeal the anti-conversion law that was introduced by the previous BJP regime to combat predatory proselytisation by organised religious groups.

"The Cabinet discussed the anti-conversion bill. We have approved the bill to repeal the changes that were brought in by them (BJP government) in 2022. It will be tabled during the session starting from July 3," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K Patil told media.

In December 2021, the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government passed the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill (popularly called the anti-conversion bill) in the state assembly. The BJP government could not introduce the bill in the upper house since it did not have a majority then. However CM Basavaraj Bommai-led government had promulgated an ordinance to operationalise the law. The bill was subsequently introduced and passed in the legislative council in September 2022 after the BJP gained majority in both the houses.

The law prohibits religious conversion "from one religion to another by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by any of these means or by promise of marriage".

The law had provisions to allow anyone connected to the converted person to file a complaint.

Under the law, those convicted of forced conversion will face 3-5 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000. Converting a minor, woman or member of the SC/ST community will be punishable with 3-10 years in jail and a Rs 50,000 fine. While punishment for forcible mass conversion is a 3-10 years jail term along with Rs 1 lakh fine, a converter failing to declare his new faith even while availing reservation benefits faces a 1-5 years jail and Rs 25,000 fine.

The law provided for prison sentence ranging from three to five years, with a fine of Rs 25,000. However, violators of the provisions concerning minors, women, and SC/ST would face imprisonment between three to 10 years and a minimum fine of Rs 50,000.

The Congress party was firmly opposed to the bill. It claimed that it was "anti-people," "inhuman," "anti-constitutional," "anti-poor," and "draconian." It also urged the government to withdraw the bill, stating that it should not be passed for any reason.