The Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed the Anti-Conversion Bill

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has passed the Anti-Conversion Bill amid fierce opposition protests. Karnataka Justice Minister J.C. Madhuswamy introduced the bill in the House. The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has unanimously approved a bill titled Karnataka Right to Religious Freedom Bill-2021. According to this, if a person belonging to the general category is encouraged to convert, he will be imprisoned for three to five years and a fine of Rs 25,000, depending on the severity of the crime.

Encouraging SC / ST minorities and women to convert to Islam is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 50,000. Opposition groups called for a boycott of the assembly. Opposition leader Siddaramaiah alleged that the government had brought the bill out of concern that the Hindu population in Karnataka was declining and the Christian population was growing. He said the government's argument on the census was incorrect. However, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai denied the allegations. He said the bill was brought with the intention of giving extra protection to SC-STs.