By Thomas Scaria
Mangaluru, Sept 16, 2022: Christians in Karnataka have been plunged into grief after the legislative council of the southern Indian state passed a stringent anti-conversion bill that could threaten even the Church’s humanitarian works.
The passage of the “Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion” bill in the stage Legislative Council, the upper house of the legislature, was the last procedure to enact it as a law.
The bill was first presented in the Legislative Assembly in 2021 and later presented as an ordinance because of insufficient number of representatives in the Council. It was passed in the Council September 15 after securing the required majority.
The bill was tabled in the council by state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and passed by voice vote as the opposition Congress party walked out of the house.
“The entire Christian Community in Karnataka is deeply disturbed and greatly pained at the passing of the bill,” says a press statement from the Catholic archdiocese of Bangalore.
The community feels betrayed for all its selfless services to the society in the fields of education, health and social service, adds the press note issued by J A Kanthraj, the public relations officer and spokesperson of the archdiocese.
Father Faustine Lobo, the spokesperson of the Karnataka Regional Bishops’ Council, told Matters India that the passing of the bill in the council was expected as the ruling party has the required majority now.
He regretted that although the bill is titled as protection of right to freedom of religion, it works just the opposite of what it says. The bill directly speaks against the conversion in any form and proposes stringent action against anyone involved in such activity or even accused of conversion, the priest explained.
Kantharaj says the contents of the Act remain bitter, brutal and abrasive.
The lay leader said the bishops of the state led by Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore along with other Christian leaders and others who uphold the country’s secular fabric would decide on the next legal recourse to challenge the law.
“As our strong objection to this said Bill is already pending before the Supreme Court and the High Court, we refrain from commenting further on this matter,” the press note said.
Father Lobo said the Church has already challenged the bill in the court and it is awaiting some positive results. The High Court of Karnataka has asked for explanation from the state government, but it is yet to respond.
Change of religion is one’s fundamental right as enshrined in the constitution, but they have diluted it in such a way that people lose their freedom in religious practices. The clauses in the Karnataka bill is more stringent than similar bills enacted at other BJP ruled states, Father Lobo observed.
He said if the government is so concerned about anyone changing their religious ideologies or identity, how it could believe in “political conversions.” The ruling political party, he said, has been busy converting elected leaders of other political parties to its fold, either by coercion, threat or compulsion. He cited the example of several Congress legislators in neighboring Goa state changing their political ideology and joining the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Father Lobo also said the bill gives scope for people to take the law into their hands and accuse anyone from the Church circles of conversion. They could also spread false propaganda about all church ministries as coercion to convert.
Karnataka’s version of the bill is seen as more stringent than in the anti-conversion laws in other BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Minister Jnanendra alleged that conversions have become rampant in the state through unfair means.
The bill includes provisions for compensation of up to 500,000 rupees to be paid by the accused to those forced to convert. In cases of mass conversion, punishment ranges up to ten years of imprisonment and a fine of up to 100,000 rupees.