Karnataka: Anti-conversion bill faces hurdle in council due to lack of numbers

BELAGAVI: The government on Friday was forced to defer tabling of the anti-conversion bill in the council on the last day of the legislature’s winter session due to lack of numbers, especially in opposition benches.
BJP, which had ensured the smooth passage of Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 in the assembly on Thursday, failed to clear the council hurdle after Congress and JD(S) members objected to tabling of the bill in the absence of many opposition members.
The ruling party, which lacks a majority in the council, had planned to table the bill at the eleventh hour after several members left for their hometowns, hoping to push through the controversial legislation.
However, Congress thwarted its plans by staging a vehement protest, alleging that the government was using the absence of members to bulldoze the controversial bill without discussing it on the floor of the house. It also criticised the government’s “arrogance” in tabling the bill at the last minute knowing well that half the members had left for their hometowns early.
Finally, the government relented and decided to defer the bill. Social welfare minister and leader of the house Kota Srinivas Poojary announced that the government will take it up in the next session.
Earlier, high drama prevailed as chairman Basavaraj Horatti adjourned the house for lunch and asked the members to reassemble at 3pm, indicating that the government would table the controversial bill. This was after the assembly was adjourned sine die before lunch.
When there was no sign of reassembling until 4pm, Congress members led by opposition leader in the council SR Patil entered the chairman’s chamber and asked him to adjourn the house sine die. Congress even accused the chair of deliberately delaying the session after lunch to facilitate BJP to get its numbers together.
Later, the house reassembled at 4.15pm. Poojary moved a motion to bid farewell to 17 members who are retiring. Congress members opposed the move, alleging that it was a strategy to kill some more time to ensure the return of BJP members who had left the session early.
Outside, some leaders of both BJP and Congress were seen busy calling up members who were heading back to their constituencies and telling them to return to the house.
Later, the chairman adjourned the house for five minutes and convened a meeting of floor leaders in his chamber. At the meeting, opposition leaders gave two options to the government — either extend the council session by two days solely to discuss the bill or take it up at the next session.
When the house reassembled, Horatti asked deputy chairman MK Pranesh to preside over the proceedings. Later, Poojary announced that the bill would not be taken up in this session.
The anti-conversion bill may not face many hurdles at the next session, considering the BJP’s strength in the council, after January 5, will go up to 37, one short of the simple majority, and it is expected to get the support of Independent Lakhan Jarkiholi, who had contested as rebel BJP candidate in the recent MLC polls.