Without BJP majority, Karnataka's anti-conversion bill may have to wait

The controversial anti-conversion bill may not become a law in the ongoing session of the Karnataka legislature as it is unlikely to get passed in the Legislative Council where the BJP does not have enough numbers.

The Belagavi session is scheduled to end Friday.

The BJP government may have succeeded in ramming the bill through in the Legislative Assembly where it is likely to come up for passage on Thursday.

In the 224-member Assembly, the BJP has a strength of 119, which will be enough to pass the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021.

Even if the Bill is introduced in the Council on or before Friday, the government may not push for passage.

The JD(S), with which the BJP has an understanding in the Council, has also opposed the Bill. The regional party and the Congress have enough numbers to defeat the Bill in the Council, where the BJP is six short of a simple majority.

Also read: Anti-conversion bill: Regressive legislation

According to BJP sources, the Bill will be taken up for passage again during the joint session of the legislature in January.

"Before the beginning of the joint session, our numbers in the upper house will be close to a majority. We’re confident of passing the Bill then," a senior BJP leader told DH.

The BJP’s numbers in the Council will go up to 37 after January 5. It may depend on one Independent Lakhan Jarkiholi for support to pass the Bill.

The Bill was introduced in the Assembly on Tuesday amid protests by the Congress.

Even before the Bill was introduced, it attracted criticism from various quarters with allegations that the proposed law is being introduced to target Christians. Bangalore Archbishop Peter Machado flayed the Bill contending that even charitable activities conducted by various organisations could be construed as ‘allurement’, which the Bill proposes to punish.

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