Bengaluru archbishop terms anti-conversion bill 'draconian', alleges K'taka govt supporting vigilantism

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 21 (ANI): After Karanataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra tabled the proposed anti-Conversion Bill in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Bengaluru archbishop Dr Peter Machado accused the state government of supporting vigilantism.
Speaking to ANI, the archbishop said, "Why are there attacks even without the Bill? Ever since this Bill has been announced, the level of attacks has also increased and vigilant groups are also taking things into their hands. In the future, with this law in action, the groups would be given a license to go about doing this. The government will not be able to control them."
Terming the Bill as "draconian", the archbishop said that not all legislatures are in support of the Bill.
"Not only Christians but other groups also will be deprived of their fundamental rights. We will have to discuss among ourselves the action that we will have to take. If legal redressal is possible, we will consider that in order to confront the draconic law that is being passed for us," he said when asked about the action being planned to take if the bill is passed in the Legislative Assembly.
Earlier today, the bill was tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
The Karnataka Assembly Speaker announced that he has allowed the government to introduce the anti-conversion bill as per the procedure, and it will be taken up for discussion on December 22.
Congress opposed the bill tabled by the Karnataka Government and staged a walkout from the Assembly. Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar tore the copy of the Bill inside the House.
Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) HD Kumaraswamy had earlier said that his party won't support the anti-conversion Bill in the Karnataka Assembly.
Belagavi Bishop Derek Fernandes has also slammed the Karnataka's government's proposed anti-conversion bill, terming it a hate campaign against Christians.
Earlier on December 14, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka assembly and Congress leader Siddaramaiah has alleged that the anti-conversion law is being brought to target a particular religion.
Meanwhile, the State Home Minister said that there is no need for anybody to live in fear due to this Bill.
The Bill will provide for the protection of the right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means. It proposes imprisonment up to 10 years for forced religious conversion.
Earlier in April this year, Gujarat Vidhan Sabha had passed the 'Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2021' with a majority to bring more stringent punishment against forced religious conversions through marriage.
Gujarat had become the third state after Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to make a law against forced religious conversions. (ANI)