Religious conversions: Karnataka govt to survey official and non-official Christian missionaries

Bengaluru, October 14: In the major development, Karnataka's Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Department has asked officers to conduct a survey of both official and non-official Christian missionaries functioning in the state. The order in this regard is being issued amid discussions of rampant religious conversions in the state.

 

The order is issued at a time when Karnataka contemplates bringing an anti-conversion law in response to the complaints of forced conversions in the state. The decision was taken in the meeting held at Vikasa Soudha on Wednesday by the Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Committee.

Legislators Goolihatti Shekar, Puttaranga Setty, B.M. Farooq, Virupakshappa Bellary, Ashok Naik, and others took part in the meeting and discussed the matter. The committee also discussed the facilities availed by the missionaries from the government. The committee also discussed the registration of Christian missionaries.

 

 

The committee members have suggested withdrawing government facilities to those who get converted. BJP MLA Goolihatti Shekar stated that according to preliminary information available, 40 percent of the Churches functioning in the state are unofficial. "Statistics are being gathered in this regard. The committee discussed unofficial missionaries operating in the state," he added.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has reiterated that the government will bring anti-conversion law to impose a ban on forceful conversion activities in the state. "The government is studying laws implemented in this regard by the various state governments in the country. The law in this regard will be enacted soon in Karnataka," he said.

BJP MLA Goolihatti Shekar had raised the issue of religious conversions on the floor of the Assembly during the Monsoon Session. He claimed that his mother was converted without his knowledge, and the Christian missionaries foisted false atrocity and rape cases on those who questioned their conversion activities. He has also initiated 'Ghar wapsi', an initiative to facilitate conversions of Christians to Hinduism.

Shekhar had recently alleged that around 20,000-25,000 people from various communities in the taluk had been converted to Christianity. While he received unpredicted support across social media, the state‘s CM Basavaraj Bommai and Home Minister Araga Jnanendra too spoke about bringing an anti-conversion law in the state.
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