Government mulls law against luring people for religious conversions

Bengaluru: The Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP Government yesterday managed the passage of the Karnataka Religious Structures (Protection) Bill, 2021 just one day after it was proposed and then tabled in the lower house of the ongoing Monsoon Session of the State Assembly.

The Bill, which will now be tabled in the Upper House, was passed even as Legislators across the aisle, including of the BJP, sought to get clarifications on the scope of the Bill and its intent to protect religious structures from being demolished as per the 2009 Supreme Court order.

The Bill primarily provided protection to all religious structures that came up on public land before the law came into force. It means that the authorities would not be able to demolish religious structures on public land unless there is a specific Court order for demolition of a religious structure.

The regularisation of illegal encroachments for religious purposes not just circumvents the Court orders but is also likely to set a precedent in the State where a significant chunk of Government land, lakes, forests and other places are lost to land sharks and others.

“It is considered necessary to provide for the protection of religious constructions on a public place constructed before the date of commencement of this Act, in order to protect communal harmony and not to hurt the religious sentiments of the public. Further to restrict unauthorised religious structure and constructions on public places in future,” reads the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill. The Bill defines religious structures as those structures such as Temple, Church, Mosque, Gurudwara, Bodh Vihar, Mazar etc., constructed in a public place without authority of law.

The Bill also bars the construction of new religious structures in a public place going forward.

Anti-Conversion Law

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that the State Government is considering bringing an Anti-Conversion Bill. “We are planning to bring an Anti-Conversion Bill. Some States have already brought Anti-Conversion Laws, we will study them and we’ll bring that Bill,” he said.

Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh already have Anti-Conversion Laws while Haryana too is working on the final draft and now Karnataka also seems to be in the queue.

He went on to say that luring people for religious conversions is a punishable offence. Religious conversions are happening through a well-established network in the State and across the country. The State will initiate legal action regarding the issue, he added.