Anti-conversion Bill was not introduced with good intention, says Khader

MLA U T Khader said that the BJP-led government did not table the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill with good intention.

The Bill was tabled with an eye on vote bank politics. It was tabled to create confusion among people, he told reporters in Mangaluru.

The Bill was tabled in the Assembly without even bringing it in the Assembly business agenda, he said.

“None will support forceful conversion in the country. There are already laws to check conversion in the country. Amid the available laws, the BJP government has tabled the Bill to fool the citizens of the state. If there are any loopholes in the existing laws, then it could have been strengthened to check forceful conversion. The Bill will not get any legal binding,” he added.

To a query on Congress in the past drafting the anti-conversion Bill, the MLA said that the Congress government had not drafted the Bill. The Karnataka Law Commission had prepared a draft Bill.

“However, the then social welfare minister had deferred it citing that it was not required in the state in 2016 and the government never discussed it for two years while in power,” said the MLA.

Stating that there are chances of the Bill being misused for political gain, Khader said that the government failed to discuss the woes of the people in Karnataka in the winter session.

To a query on pro-Kannada organizations demanding a ban on MES and calling for a statewide bandh on December 31, Khader said, “We cannot tolerate any dishonour to Kannada. We have to respect other languages while loving one’s own mother tongue and Kannada. Marati and Kannada speaking people are living in harmony in border areas. Banning MES is a legal issue. BJP was part of the MES in the past in Maharashtra.”