Sriram Sena starts listing of so-called illegal places of worship in Karnataka

BENGALURU: A day after Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot gave his assent to the anti-religious conversion ordinance, Sriram Sena, a right-wing group, said on Wednesday it is preparing a list of what it claims to be illegal places of worship in the State.

"We have so far prepared a list of about 500 such places of worship operating in houses, marriage halls and community buildings in four districts while work is on in other districts. We will submit it to the government by this month-end," said the Sena chief Pramod Muthalik.

According to him, the survey done in Belagavi, Dharwad, Bagalkote, and Vijayapura so far revealed the existence of over 500 such places of worship.

Muthalik said he has told the district chiefs of his outfit to also submit list of such places in their respective districts in the next three to four days.

"I am visiting Bengaluru on May 29 and 30 to meet Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and submit the district-wise list to him," he said.

He added that the drive began soon after the Cabinet gave its nod to the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Ordinance-2022.

After the Governor gave his assent to the ordinance, it has been intensified.

The ordinance is aimed at preventing unlawful religious conversion by way of force, allurement, coersion, undue influence, misrepresentation and fraudulent means.

The ordinance was opposed by certain Christian religious leaders as well Opposition parties.

The Bill was passed in the Karnataka Assembly in December last and is pending before the legislative council where the party is one member short of majority.

The government chose the ordinance route to bring the Bill to effect from May 12.