Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is seriously considering bringing in a law against religious conversion either by force or through inducement in the state, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.
"Such things (conversions) are happening here and there. Couple of days ago I gave appropriate directions to district administrations not to allow any religious conversion through inducement or by force, as it is illegal," Bommai said in response to a question on alleged incidents of religious conversions in Kalaburagi and Byadarahalli in Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said, "as several such incidents are happening, we are seriously considering a law against religious conversion through inducement or by force."
State Home Minister Araga Jnanendra had last week told the legislative assembly that the government was mulling enacting a law to regulate religious conversion, as a ruling BJP MLA from Hosadurga Goolihatti Shekhar said his own mother has converted to Christianity falling prey to inducement.
Meanwhile, Byadarahalli police are investigating a case of forceful religious conversion. It was alleged that in a building owned by one Narayanaswamy, as many as 20 children were forced to participate in prayers. Based on the complaint, the police have issued a notice to Narayanaswamy. A similar case was also reported from Yadgir. The issue of religious conversion had rocked the recently concluded legislative assembly session.
BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh already have laws to prevent forcible religious conversion.
