Congress will move Karnataka HC against anti-conversion Bill: Priyank Kharge

BENGALURU: The state Congress is planning to legally challenge the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2022, also known as the Anti-Conversion Bill, which was passed in the Council on Thursday.

Former Minister and KPCC Communication Wing chief Priyank Kharge said the legal cell of the Congress will move the Karnataka HC against the new law. “If the Congress party comes to power in Karnataka, it will repeal all the unconstitutional laws including the anti-conversion and anti-cow slaughter laws through legislations”, he said.

“The government has attributed the enactment of the law to forced conversions but it has not presented any statistics to support its stand. Bommai’s cabinet colleague Govind Karjol, who held the Social Welfare Department portfolio six months ago, himself had said that the government had no details on the issue”, he said. “The law department brought the Bill ignoring the fact that many courts have issued stay orders. It is to divert the attention of the people from the burning issues of the state which includes corruption”, he alleged.

“We have raised concern over the legality of the Bill. They (BJP) are saying the Bills passed by governments of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have been replicated here. But all those Bills have been stayed by the respective HCs and some in the Supreme Court. It is a clear violation of the SC order in Hadiya case (2017-18) over the right to profess and practice religion,” he added.