Anti-conversion Bill: Complaint lodged against Karnataka CM, HM, Speaker

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Photo: File pic

A complaint has been lodged against the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri and all BJP legislators in connection with presenting of the controversial Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 popularly known as Anti-conversion Bill.

The complaint has been lodged by a social activist R. Manaiah with Lingasugur police station in Raichur district, police said on Monday. The complainant has sought legal action against all state BJP honchos in his complaint. The complainant has stated that the ruling BJP while tabling the Anti-conversion Bill has shown the people of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities in poor light.

"The Anti-conversion Bill has shown the people of these communities as vagabonds, beggars and portrayed them to be the ones who get converted to other religions with the lure of money, cloth, enticements and acts of donations," the complainant stated. The complaint has sought action in this backdrop for portraying particular communities in bad light in the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill recently presented in the Assembly session.

When the Bill was presented by the state Home Minister Araga Jnaendra, all BJP MLA's banged on their desks in the Assembly welcoming the Bill in the House. The complainant has sought in the complaint that action should be initiated against the Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and others. The complainant has asked for registration of the case against all of them under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The controversial Anti-conversion Bill was passed by voice vote in the Assembly on December 23 in the recently concluded Belagavi winter session. The Bill is yet to be presented in the council. Law Minister Madhu Swamy has stated that the government has an option to get the Bill passed in the council during the next legislature session to be held in January or February of 2022. In case of delay of session, the option of promulgating the ordinance will be taken.

The government can promulgate an ordinance of the pending Bill if it is not rejected in any of one of the two Houses. But, it must get the approval of the legislature for the Bill in the immediate next session after promulgating the ordinance. Meanwhile, the Congress has announced that it would do whatever it takes to defeat the Bill even after promulgation of the ordinance. The party has also stated that it would repeal the Bill as soon as it comes to power.

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