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The Series Of Attack On Christians Is Partly Their Fault: Karnataka Minister

Bengaluru: Karnataka Stateโ€™s Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, states that series of attacks on Christians in Karnataka is partly their fault. Araga Jnanendra appeared to indicate today, telling NDTV that there is โ€œmistake on both sidesโ€. Two days before Christmas, as the state passed the controversial religious conversion bill amid widespread protests, Mr Jnanendra was asked about the attacks, which Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai has said was meant to avoid the rampant forced conversions in the state.

Asked about the attacks by right-wing groups on Christian prayer meetings, Mr Jnanendra said, โ€œThere is mistake on both sides. If they were not doing forceful conversion, then they wouldnโ€™t be stopping them and creating ruckusโ€.

He, however, admitted that there is โ€œno way anyone can take law into their own handsโ€ฆ if a complaint is given, action will be initiated.

Asked if the law and order situation is being disturbed is because of โ€œfringe elementsโ€, the minister responded in the negative. โ€œOn one hand, yes, fringe elements and on the other hand there are illegal conversions,โ€ he said.

Asked whether the state government has data to prove illegal conversions, Mr Jnanendra answered in the affirmative.

Asked if the data was based on registered cases or allegations, he said it is allegations.

โ€œThere are no registered cases. In Udupi one suicide took place, four people in Mangaluru committed suicide because of conversions and our MLAโ€™s mother,โ€ he said, refering to the BJP MLA from Hosadurga Taluk Gulihatti Chandrashekar.

โ€œBefore giving a complaint (to the police), he had requested his mother not to convert. And he started creating awareness about not to convert. But when he tried to file a complaint, the police did not receive it because there are no sections under which this case can be filed. This is not the fault of the police. Siddaramaiah said you can file a complaint under Section IPC 295. But that section is about defiling place of worship. There is no section for conversion,โ€ he said.

Earlier today, the โ€œKarnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021โ€, popularly known as โ€œAnti-conversion Billโ€, was passed assembly today amid vociferous protests by he Congress, who called it โ€œanti-peopleโ€, โ€œinhumanโ€, โ€œanti-constitutionalโ€, โ€œanti-poorโ€ and โ€œdraconianโ€.

Last week, Dr Ashwathnarayan CN โ€” a minister in Basavaraj Bommaiโ€™s cabinet โ€” had told NDTV that no attack on Christian community has taken place because of their religion. The attacks, he contended, were on personal level and a campaign is created around them to meet political ends.

Since September, as the state cabinet started discussions on an anti-conversion bill, at least 7 attacks by right-wing vigilantes on churches and the Christian community have been reported in Karnataka.

Religious books have been burnt and mobs have barged into churches and attacked its members.

On the day when the bill was tabled for discussion, a statue of St Anthony was vandalised by unknown people. The priest of the church, Father Jospeh Anthony Daniel, told NDTV that the church in Susaipalya is believed to have been damaged around 5.30 this morning. He said this kind of vandalism had never happened before.

In most cases, these have been preceded by unproven allegations of forcible conversion. Church leaders have expressed concern that a bill may lead to an escalation in violence.

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