Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet on Monday approved a bill to penalize religious conversions in the state. The bill, titled The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, is likely to be tabled in the state Assembly on Tuesday.The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill-2021 was cleared by the state Cabinet led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The draft of the bill has a provision for jailing those who indulge in mass conversion for a period of three to 10 years and imposing a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
Besides, a minimum sentence of three years is being proposed. The person converting from Scheduled Caste (SC) to a minority could lose government benefits, including reservations he or she has previously enjoyed. However, one is likely to receive the benefits entitled to in the religion he or she converts them to.
The draft also says that the ‘religious converter’ shall give one month’s prior notice in ‘form-II’ of such conversion to the district magistrate or any other officer not below the rank of the additional district magistrate.
In cases of inter-religious marriage, the draft says that marriages done for the sole purpose of unlawful conversion or vice-versa will be declared void.
Innocent people are being converted across the state: Bommai
Speaking earlier, CM Basavaraj Bommai had clarified that the anti-conversion bill, titled – ‘The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill-2021’ will ensure that ‘helpless’ individuals are not forced into changing their religion.
“Innocent people are being converted across the state. They are lured by money and financial assistance… Our government, our nation will not allow such a thing to happen. There is an attempt to encash poverty in our society,” Bommai said while speaking in Belagavi.
According to the draft bill, a person who intends to willingly get converted into another religion will have to undertake a legal process that involves him/ her declaring that he/ she are willingly, and without any force, wishing to change their religion.
According to the proposed bill, a religious converter will have to give one month’s notice to the concerned authorities regarding the location and the date of the scheduled conversion. The police will then conduct an inquiry into the motive, purpose and cause of such conversions.
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