By Jose Kavi
New Delhi, Sept 18, 2022: An organization engaged in spreading awareness about Christian contribution to the Indian society has urged the Karnataka governor not to sign a bill against religious conversions.
“It is nothing but a dictatorial bill,” says a letter the Reverend Ferdinand Kittle Foundation wrote to the state Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot September 17, a day after the Karnataka Legislative Council, the upper house of the state legislature, passed the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, (anti-conversion bill).
The bill that now awaits the governor’s signature to become a law “is undemocratic” and against the “spirit of secularism of India,” asserts the Bengaluru-based organization and pleaded the governor to consider points such as the bill’s harmful and detrimental impact on the Indian secular society.
“The Indian Constitution has given the right to practice and propagate one’s religion. And every Indian citizen has the right to choose his/her own religion,” asserted the letter signed by organization president Anthony Vikram, vice president Solomon Raj and general secretary Dalith Francis.
They warn that bringing such a “draconian law” has created fear as it takes away people’s right to change religion “freely without fear of atrocities by self-proclaimed moral policing group.”
The bill stipulates that persons who want to change religion have to apply to the district collector’s office declaring their private and family information. “If it is done, does it not amount to violation of right to privacy under Article 21?” the organization asks.
It also saying the law leaves to the discretion of the collector to allow the change of religion of a person, which the organization says could become a subjective matter.
“This law goes to the extent of deciding who one should marry or not. It violates the personal liberty to choose a life partner. It discourages inter-religious marriage by creating several hurdles. Again, this is in violation of Article 12” of the Constitution, the organization says.
The foundation says the government should have consulted Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs before drafting the bill as it concerns all those practicing religions.
It claims that no data is available to prove conversions are happening in Karnataka either by force or by inducement. According to the 2011 census data, Karnataka’s Christian population was 1.87 percent – a drop compared to the 2001 census, when it was 1.91 percent.
“When this Bill was introduced in Upper House, there were no Christian representatives to voice the concerns of the Christian community,” the foundation points out and requests the governor to appoint a Christian as an observer whenever issues concerned to the community comes up in both Upper or Lower house.
The new bill also proposes that when any SC/ST person changes their religion from Hinduism to Christianity, the social benefits given by the government will also cease But when a Schedule Caste/ Tribe person gets converted from Hinduism to Christianity his/her religion changes but not caste. The social benefits are given on caste basis and not on religious basis. But if a Hindu SC/ST person accepts Buddhism or Jainism, his/her social benefits will continue under the SC Provision Act. Why such discrimination when it comes to Christianity?”
When the bill was introduced in the Belagavi Session in 2021, some people filed objections in the High Court. “When the bill is in court domain, then what was its necessity to bring it hurriedly yesterday in Upper House?” the organization asks.
It also points out that the Anti-Conversion Bill are implemented in nine states but four them have kept it on hold because it was in the court.
“When a false complaint filed against a person accusing of him/her converting then the burden of proving innocence falls on the victim. Many could misuse this law to score personal enmities,” the letter says.
The foundation warns that the bills could give freedom to file a malicious case against any person not related to the converted person. “Again miscreants can use this Bill to score personal revenge.”
The foundation was registered in 2019.
There is a need to make such laws for changing of political parties not the religion. sab ulta..pulta..
Well, the readers must understand that the ruling BJP is executing it’s agenda of “one nation, one religion, one culture and one language”.
Why do you think that the BJP is acting against the Indian Constitution? BJP does not care a bit about the Constitution. It is trying to change the past history and write a new history that is in tune with the “Hindutva ideology”.
Instead of lamenting, think about the ways of defeating BJP in the next election.
Depriving people in finding their salvation for Eternal Life is more than just violation of human rights. The consequences are enormous and could deprive Eternal life for the very ones who are promoting such bigotry. This is why the framers of the Constitution saw more clearly that we are Eternal beings our humaness will end after our death, but we will live on eternally in a spiritual form with all our senses and memory intact. How we live this Eternal life will depend on our actions here on earth. Love for humanity will triumph, while hatred towards anyone will be the source of our downfall and a very unpleasant Eternal life.
It is 100% true!
This anti-conversion bill appears to be an anti-Christian bill. In states where it has been imposed, it is 100% misused and abused. Every single fit is false and Christian leaders are targeted. In fact, it is anti-human rights and anti Constitutional. Religion and faith is a personal choice and can be changed endless times and no authority should try to control anyone’s liberty. Changing one’s religious or faith is in no way harmful to the society.