JOIN USBommai govt tables anti-conversion bill, Congress walks out
The controversial anti-conversion bill was introduced in the Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday, angering the Congress whose legislators went up in arms accusing the BJP government of bringing it slyly without any prior notice.
Home Minister Araga Jnanendra tabled the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill after the Assembly resumed post lunch. The bill was not on the agenda. A supplementary agenda was prepared for the Bill to be introduced.
“We are against the introduction of the bill . What’s the emergency in this bill ? We weren't told that the bill will be introduced,” Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said, adding that the provisions of the bill violated Articles 21 and 25 of the Constitution.
“Bringing such anti-people laws is wrong. Will you bulldose the House? Will you do whatever you like because you have a simple majority,” Siddaramaiah asked the treasury benches.
Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar was seen tearing a copy of the supplementary agenda. Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri objected to this.
“Last night, at the time of printing the agenda, the bill wasn’t ready and that’s why it wasn’t included. This morning, the bill was ready and the government wanted to introduce it. That’s why a supplementary agenda was prepared. I had informed your party’s whip about it,” Kageri said, denying the Congress’ charge that the bill was introduced slyly.
The bill, which the Congress says will target minorities, proposes imprisonment of 3 to 5 years with a fine of Rs 25,000 for 'forced' conversion. Converting a minor, woman or an SC/ST person will attract a jail term of 3 to 10 years, with a Rs 50,000 fine. Mass conversion will attract 3-10 years of jail time with a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.
While the draft bill required a person wanting to convert to inform the deputy commissioner within 60 days, the bill tabled in the Assembly has reduced this to 30 days. Also, the government has added ‘colleague’ to the list of people who can lodge a complaint against ‘forced’ conversion.
Siddaramaiah said similar laws in UP, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh had been challenged in the court. Jnanendra maintained that the bill will help people. “You’re saying this just to keep your vote bank intact,” he told Congress MLAs.
Kageri said he would put the bill to a vote on Wednesday. Siddaramaiah led his MLAs to walk out of the Assembly in protest.
Watch the latest DH videos: