Karnataka govt decides to repeal anti-conversion law introduced by BJP
The Bill was introduced by the state's former Home Minister Araga Jnanendra amid strong opposition in the Winter Session of the Assembly
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah. ANI
The Congress-led Karnataka government has decided to scrap a law against religious conversion that was introduced by the previous BJP-led government.
The proposal to repeal the law received a nod from the state cabinet today, Law & Parliamentary Affairs minister HK Patil said on Thursday.
The Bill was introduced by the state’s former Home Minister Araga Jnanendra amid strong opposition in the Winter Session of the Assembly. However, the Basavraj Bommai-led government passed the bill as it “wanted to prohibit conversion by misrepresentation, force, allurement, fraudulent means, or marriage.”
Related Articles
The Opposition, on the other hand, called the Bill “anti-people”, “inhuman”, “anti-constitutional”, “anti-poor” and ”draconian.”
The Bill, according to The Hindu, provided for the “protection of the right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means.”
The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday confirmed that it has dropped a chapter on RSS founder KB Hedgewar from the school syllabus.
Along with it, all the changes in school syllabi made by the BJP government have also been reversed.
“…syllabus on KB Hedgewar has been dropped…whatever changes they (previous govt) have done last year, we have changed it and reintroduced whatever was there last to last year…,” said Karnataka Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa had reportedly reached this decision during a meeting focused on educational reforms in Bengaluru recently.
Karnataka Minister HK Patil said the decision to make reciting the Preamble of the Constitution along with the hymn in schools and colleges was also taken during the Cabinet meeting.
With inputs from agencies
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
also read
Uttar Pradesh registers first case under new anti-conversion law in Bareilly district
On Saturday, Governor Anandiben Patel assented to an ordinance against forcible or fraudulent religious conversions. The law stipulates imprisonment up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 50,000
30 Christians converted in Kerala by VHP: RSS demand for anti-conversion law is unfair
The Sangh Parivar would be in more agreeable light if it focuses on reasons why people shift to other religions, inviting the great risk of being socially ostracized.
Rajnath says anti-conversion law will be brought in only if there is consensus
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said the Centre would think of bringing an anti-conversion law if there was consensus among political parties on the matter.