The Karnataka Parliament passed the Anti-Conversion Bill on December 23, 2021-Karnataka Religious Freedom Protection Act of 2021-through a voice vote at the ongoing winter meeting, even though the Parliament and Janata Dal The (secular) members performed the Dharma in the well.

The bill was discussed for less than six hours. Members of Congress sought more time to participate in the discussion, and the Minister of Rural Development and Panchayatraji K.S. Eshwarappa provoked an angry reaction, and the members staged a dharna in the well. Intervening in the chaos, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa urged Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri to pass the bill because MPs delayed the meeting in the well. Soon after, the conference passed it through a voice vote. When members of Congress held up the decibel slogan and raised a placard in the well, members of the People’s Party voted loudly to pass it.

Earlier, the opposition leader Siddaramaiah accused the bill as a “hidden agenda for RSS” because the origin of the bill was a petition from people connected with RSS in 2009. Mr. Eshwarappa accused Congress President Sonia Gandhi of being brought before the Cabinet. “If you (Mr. Siddaramaiah) try to bring it, you will be removed.” At the same time, the minister said: “We will protect the Dharma. No matter who gets in the way, we will cut it to pieces.” As the House of Representatives fell into chaos, the chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said: “RSS is committed to taking action against forced conversion. This is an open secret. When you accused RSS of promoting it, why did you [Congress] prepare a draft bill in 2016? You are a party to it ( bill).”

Since the opposition party started a dharna in the well of the House of Representatives, the bill was passed through a voice vote amidst the noise. Even if the main opposition party is preparing to oppose the government’s Karnataka protection plan, Congress has to face an embarrassing moment. The Religious Freedom Rights Bill in Parliament. Documents provided by the ruling People’s Party show that the parliamentary government led by Siddaramaiah drafted a similar draft bill in 2016.

In explaining the outstanding features of the bill, the Minister of Law J. C. Madhuswamy insisted that the Karnataka Law Commission had drafted a draft bill in accordance with the Karnataka State’s Law to Protect Religious Freedom in accordance with the recommendations of the then government.

Speaking of the documents provided by the government in this regard, Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri said that the Karnataka Law Commission has prepared a draft bill based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Social Welfare. On November 16, 2016, the then Minister of Law T. B. Jayachandra reviewed the bill.

Complete News Source : The Hindu