K'taka Assembly passes 'Anti-Conversion Bill'

Belagavi (KTK): The contentious "anti-conversion bill" was passed by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday, amid din, with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai terming it as both constitutional and legal, and aimed at getting rid of the menace of religious conversion.

Opposing the "Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021", tooth and nail, the Congress dubbed it "anti-people", "inhuman", "anti-constitutional", "anti-poor" and "draconian", and urged it should not be passed for any reason and that it be withdrawn by

the government.

JD(S) too expressed its opposition to the bill, which was introduced in the Assembly on Tuesday.

The bill 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 five 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 one 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. Wherever the family court is not established, the court having jurisdiction to try such case, on a petition presented by either party thereto against the other party of the marriage.