BJP legislator pulls up K’taka govt over anti-conversion bill, calls it ‘ridiculous’

Karnataka minister C N Ashwath Narayan said, “It is a constitutional bill. It will bring in more clarity.”

A day after Karnataka legislative council approved the controversial anti-conversion bill, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator AH Vishwanath on Friday termed the move as “ridiculous”.

The former minister also said that he is himself “not considered a Hindu” as he is a Kuruba, a shepherd community in Karnataka and often referred to as “Shudra Mundevu” (slang for untouchable) in several villages. (Agency file photo)

“(Some) people are converting... not for joy...but because of the agony and untouchability, inhuman behaviour with them. With all that, society has forced them to convert. Society itself forced them to convert so that has to be stopped,”Vishwanath said outside Vidhana Soudha.

He said that bringing out bills to prevent conversion will not help as the problem is in the mindset.

The former minister also said that he is himself “not considered a Hindu” as he is a Kuruba, a shepherd community in Karnataka and often referred to as “Shudra Mundevu” (slang for untouchable) in several villages.

“Even today they address us in villages as Shudra Mundeva. Even after 75 years of Independence, we are in the same orbit, we have not come out. Society has not let us come out of this orbit of Shudra Mundeva. So, likewise the society forced us to join, convert,” he added.

The statements come a day after the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government managed the passage of The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, better known as anti-conversion bill, in the upper house of the state legislature in the ongoing monsoon session.

The new law, according to the government, aims to stop conversion by “force, allurement or fraud” and also imposes a heavy penalty, including jail terms up to 10 year and a fine of ₹1 lakh. The law states that no one should be converted by another “by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by any of these means or by promise of marriage, nor shall any person abet or conspire such conversion”.

Anyone willing to convert will have to submit an application to the district collector who will scrutinise the application, and interview the applicant to ascertain if the conversion is not by force or allurement. If the application is found to be genuine, then other departments will be informed to ensure that the person converting loses benefits from his existing caste or religion . “If I wanted to convert...I have to go to DC, this is ridiculous,” Vishwanath said.

Meanwhile, opposition Congress leaders also attacked the ruling BJP claiming the legislation was a “political gimmick” brought in to divert attention from issues like unemployment and inflation.

“Historically what he (Vishwanath) has said is true. People who have not found equality in religion is one of the main reasons for them to convert,” Priyank Kharge, former minister and head of the communication for the Congress party, said.

He added that despite being in the BJP, Vishwanath has said that he is treated like a “Shudra” (untouchable) which comes from the mindset of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Karnataka minister C N Ashwath Narayan, however, refuted Congress allegations.

“It is a constitutional bill. It will bring in more clarity. Bill has provisions that have a clear-cut process so that there is no confusion, hatred, conflict or differences. A real process has been brought into the Constitution which is forward-looking. Should we allow more problems into society? it is a sensitive issue, and as lawmakers, it is our responsibility to take up this issue very strongly,” he told ANI.

With Agency Inputs