In Belagavi and Hubballi, Basavraj Bommai said the bill is meant to curb conversion through inducements and has assured members of the Christian community of protection for prayers and other rituals across the state.
BELAGAVI/HUBBALLI: After weeks of being in two minds over it, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said the state government will table the anticonversion bill in the winter session at Belagavi which starts on Monday. The draft bill is currently being scrutinised by the law department.
In Belagavi and Hubballi, Bommai said the bill is meant to curb conversion through inducements and has assured members of the Christian community of protection for prayers and other rituals across the state.
“There should not be any scope for conversion with allurements misusing poverty. The state will table the bill in this session itself,” he said.
He added that after scrutiny by the law department, the bill will come up for discussion in the cabinet for approval and then introduced in the assembly.
However, despite assurances, attacks against members of the Christian community continue unabated. According to Pastor JS Sudhakar, a church functionary in Belagavi, claimed that this year alone, more than 16 pastors came under attack from right-wing groups in Belagavi, highest number in the state. Only three FIRs were filed and the rest were resolved at police stations.
On Saturday, an unidentified man carrying a machete entered a Caholic church and threatened the priest, Fr Francis D’Souza. The priest ran out of the church and the man chased him and later escaped. The police have filed a case.
Sudhakar told attacks intensified recently after the debate about anti-conversion law started. Reverend Father Pramod, finance administrator of Belagavi diocese, said some elements are trying to paint the community in bad light.
‘32 attacks in past year over conversions’
Reverend Father Pramod said: “According to census data, the population of Christians has come down, contradicting the claims of forceful conversion. Also, there is a law to deal with forced conversion. Where is the need for the new law?”
Advocate Niyaz Moosa, who has been dealing with such cases, said in the past year, in Karnataka, 32 attacks have been reported.
“All attacks were based on false allegations of conversion. Belagavi has seen the highest number of attacks. The state wants to peddle a lie about conversion and these attacks are planned to support the conversion theory,” he claimed.
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In Belagavi and Hubballi, Basavraj Bommai said the bill is meant to curb conversion through inducements and has assured members of the Christian community of protection for prayers and other rituals across the state.BELAGAVI/HUBBALLI: After weeks of being in two minds over it, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said the state government will table the anticonversion bill in the winter session at Belagavi which starts on Monday. The draft bill is currently being scrutinised by the law department. In Belagavi and Hubballi, Bommai said the bill is meant to curb conversion through inducements and has assured members of the Christian community of protection for prayers and other rituals across the state. “There should not be any scope for conversion with allurements misusing poverty. The state will table the bill in this session itself,” he said. He added that after scrutiny by the law department, the bill will come up for discussion in the cabinet for approval and then introduced in the assembly. However, despite assurances, attacks against members of the Christian community continue unabated. According to Pastor JS Sudhakar, a church functionary in Belagavi, claimed that this year alone, more than 16 pastors came under attack from right-wing groups in Belagavi, highest number in the state. Only three FIRs were filed and the rest were resolved at police stations. On Saturday, an unidentified man carrying a machete entered a Caholic church and threatened the priest, Fr Francis D’Souza. The priest ran out of the church and the man chased him and later escaped. The police have filed a case. Sudhakar told attacks intensified recently after the debate about anti-conversion law started. Reverend Father Pramod, finance administrator of Belagavi diocese, said some elements are trying to paint the community in bad light. ‘32 attacks in past year over conversions’Reverend Father Pramod said: “According to census data, the population of Christians has come down, contradicting the claims of forceful conversion. Also, there is a law to deal with forced conversion. Where is the need for the new law?” Advocate Niyaz Moosa, who has been dealing with such cases, said in the past year, in Karnataka, 32 attacks have been reported. “All attacks were based on false allegations of conversion. Belagavi has seen the highest number of attacks. The state wants to peddle a lie about conversion and these attacks are planned to support the conversion theory,” he claimed. FacebookTwitterLinkedinEMail