New Delhi: Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar tore a copy of the anti-conversion Bill that was tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday.
The bill was introduced by home minister Araga Jnanendra following which the speaker said he allowed the government to table the bill following procedure and it will be taken up for discussion on Wednesday. Soon after, the Congress walked out of the Assembly in opposition.
On Monday, the Basavaraj Bommai-led cabinet approved the tabling of the controversial bill in the ongoing winter session of the legislature.
Bommai said religious conversion is a silent invasion and the menace should not be allowed to grow in society.
The bill, titled ‘Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill 2021’ is more commonly known as the anti-conversion bill and has become the trigger for intense criticism against the BJP government in the state and the chief minister ever since it was first proposed during the monsoon session of the state legislature in September in Bengaluru.
The bill comes against the backdrop of a series of attacks against members of the Christian community in various parts of the state, alleging their involvement in conversions, prompting protests against a bill which senior members of the church have called an attempt to “deflect” attention from corruption scandals of the government and “destroy” peace and harmony.
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