Karnataka: After putting survey of churches on hold, govt seeks information on religious conversions in 25 yrs

KEY STORY

•  The Karnataka government has instructed the Department of Minorities Welfare to provide information about people who have converted to another religion in the past 25 years.

• News agency IANS has mentioned sources as saying that the Committee on the Welfare of Backward Classes and Minorities, which held a meeting on October 13, has asked for the information and the Joint Secretary of Legislative Assembly has sent a letter to the Department of Minorities Welfare.

• It has been recommended that the Department of Minorities Welfare should gather information about religious conversions in coordination with the Police Department, Revenue Department, Social Welfare Department, district commissioners, and chief executive officers.

• An order has been issued to make sure authorised churches are not troubled while getting information about religious conversions. In the letter, it was stated that additional information could be gathered from the Revenue, Social Welfare, Internal Administration, and Law departments, and submitted within 30 days.

• In addition, an update on 36 cases of forceful conversions between 2016 and 2021 has been requested, as well as information on punishment. The Department of Minorities Welfare has also been requested to collect detailed information about Bethel Baptist Church in Hosadurga, Chitradurga district.

• It was reported on October 28 that the Karnataka government has put on hold a proposal to survey official, unofficial churches and bible societies aimed at preventing alleged religious conversions. Sources in the Department of Minorities Welfare also said that the BJP is waiting for the High Court verdict on PIL in this regard.

CONCLUSION

• For the uninitiated, the Committee on the Welfare of Backward Classes and Minorities deliberated over the survey on October 13 and then asked the deputy commissioners to carry out the exercise. Acting Chairman of the Committee, Goolihatti Shekar, backed the survey. The Hosadurga BJP MLA also raised the matter in the Monsoon Assembly Session. “Even my mother has been converted and missionaries got those who questioned conversions booked under atrocity and rape charges,” he had claimed.

• Sources said that the recent letter requesting information on religious conversions was written to prepare grounds for prohibiting forceful conversions in the state.