BJP leader R Ashoka warns of massive protests if Karnataka govt doesn't withdraw decision on anti-conversion law

BJP leader R Ashoka said the Congress government is pushing Karnataka back into the “Tipu Sultan era” for the sake of vote bank and appeasement politics.

Published on: Jun 17, 2023, 12:51:16 IST

By Yamini C S

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Amid strong opposition from several quarters to the Karnataka government's move on repealing the contentious anti-conversion law, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday warned that they will hold massive protests across the state if the decision is not withdrawn.

Former minister R Ashoka said the Congress government wants to make Karnataka a mini Pakistan.

Senior BJP leader and former Minister R Ashoka said the Siddaramaiah-led government has become the "brand ambassador for religious conversion" and is pushing the southern state back into the “Tipu Sultan era” for the sake of vote bank and appeasement politics.

READ | Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government withdraws anti-conversion law

"After Congress came to power in Karnataka, it appears that the foundation has been laid for the beginning of Tipu era once again in Karnataka. Congress has decided to become the brand ambassador for religious conversion. There may be slight changes in figures, but according to my information over 30 to 40 lakh Hindus (in the state) have been converted by force or using allurements like money, as a victim of Love Jihad, and for the sake of treatment in hospitals, among others," R Ashoka said.

"For whose sake are you bringing in the new bill? The law that we had enacted was against forceful conversion or with allurements. We had said conversions can only be in accordance with law. Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar were against religious conversion," he added.

READ | VHP against amending the anti-conversion bill

“The Archbishop has welcomed your move, but not even a single Hindu Swamiji or priest has hailed the decision. Congress' move is in accordance with Tipu Sultan's ideology. BJP demands that the anti conversion law should not be withdrawn and in the days to come the party will hold massive protests across the state and inform people that Congress for the sake of vote bank and appeasement politics is supporting religious conversion,” he further stated.

“Congress can stoop to any level for votes, it feels that they want to make Karnataka a mini Pakistan,” he also said.

The Congress government decided to repeal the controversial anti-conversion law passed during the previous BJP regime after the cabinet meeting held on Thursday.

(With PTI inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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