Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Sep 22: State home minister, Araga Jnanendra, said in the assembly session that the government will soon table law to stop forceful religious conversions and the ones based on lure. He was replying to a question raised by former minister, Goolihatti Shekhar, who claimed that his mother had undergone forcible religious conversion on account of Christian missionaries, as a result of which she has been insisting that photos of gods cannot be worshiped and vermillion cannot be applied. He also said that when she is questioned, his mother threatens to end her life, and requested to stop forcible conversions targetting Dalits, backward and Muslim communities. He said his mother is only an example out of a large number of conversions. He also told the speaker that this is a social evil and claimed that some churches register rape and atrocity cases against people who oppose the conversions, adding that in his constituency about 20,000l people have undergone conversions.
The speaker said that he had raised this topic in 2002 and expressed the opinion that in tune with laws in some other states, Karnataka should enact tough laws to regulate such conversions.
Former speaker, K G Boplaiah, too supported the proposal. Nagathana MLA, Devanand, said that peace in Tandas of Vijayapura district has been disturbed on account of Christian missionaries as they have created differences in families. Terdal MLA, Siddu Savadi, too confirmed this.
Araga Jnanendra said that voluntary conversions are not being restricted but misusing the financial status of the people for religious conversions, and conversion based on lures, which are a big racket, should be stopped and this is a major reason for destruction of peace.
Congress MLA K J George, expressed opposition to referring to all churches in general, and wanted only specific churches, if any, to be mentioned in the discussions. Jnanendra said he would initiate legal steps if a report is submitted specifically against any churches.