The proposed legislation was described as “undesirable” and “discriminatory” by the Archbishop of Karnataka.
An anti-conversion bill is “likely to become a tool for the fringe elements to take law into their own hands and vitiate the atmosphere with communal unrest in an otherwise peaceful state,” according to a letter sent to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai today by Bengaluru Archbishop Reverend Peter Machado.
“The entire Christian community in Karnataka opposes the proposal in unison and questions the need for such an exercise when there are sufficient laws and court directives in place to monitor any deviation from the existing laws,” said the Archbishop, who called the proposed law “undesirable” and “discriminatory.”
He also said no to an order to conduct “a survey of both official and non-official Christian Missionaries operating in the state, as well as data collection from their churches… and establishments.”
Why do we need another pointless exercise when the government already has all of the relevant data (from the census)?
The Archbishop inquired whether this arbitrary, flawed, and irrational action was directed solely at the Christian community.
According to the news agency PTI, the Chief Minister told reporters last week that his government is “studying related laws enacted by other states and soon an anti-conversion legislation will be formed.”
In September, he stated that “several incidents (of forced conversion) had been reported,” and that the state was reviewing the law.
Because forcing people to change their religious beliefs is illegal, he had recently given the district administrations “appropriate directions” to do so.
“Throughout the state, Christians run and manage thousands of schools, colleges, and hospitals.” To demonstrate that even one of them has been swayed, the government should demonstrate that thousands of students graduate from these institutions each year, and thousands of patients receive the best medical care possible from our hospitals and care centres. persuaded or coerced, in the letter’s words, to change his or her religion.”
