Karnataka: Siddaramaiah government repeals anti-conversion law, introduced by BJP

Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah cabinet on Thursday, June 15, decided to repeal the anti-conversion law introduced by the previous BJP government.

Some important decisions of the cabinet

• It was decided to cancel the changes made in the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act.
• It has been decided to provide supplementary textbooks for Kannada and Social Science subjects.
• Decided to remove school textbooks on RSS leaders, Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar Hegdewar and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
• It has been decided to remove the text written by right-wing speaker Chakraborty Sulibele.
• It has also been decided to make reading of the Preamble of the Constitution compulsory in all government, aided and private schools and colleges.

What were the provisions in the anti-conversion law?

• The law provided for imprisonment of three to five years with a fine of Rs 25,000.
• Violation of the provisions regarding minors, women, SC/ST was punishable with imprisonment of three to ten years and a fine of at least Rs 50,000 for the offenders.
• The bill provided for payment of up to five lakh rupees as compensation to the accused for converting religion and in cases of mass conversions, there was a jail term of 3 to 10 years and a fine of up to one lakh rupees.
• Any marriage which is solemnized by a man of one religion with a woman of another religion by illegal conversion or vice versa either before or after marriage by converting himself or by converting the woman before or after marriage, the Family Court shall be declared void by the.

• Where there is no Family Court, the Court having jurisdiction may try such case on a petition presented by either party against the other party to the marriage.
• The Bill states that persons who wish to convert to any other religion shall inform the District Magistrate in respect of their district or place of residence or an Additional District Magistrate specially authorized by the District Magistrate, at least one month in advance of their date of birth within the State. give a declaration in a prescribed format.

Congress fulfilled the election promise

Before the Karnataka assembly elections, the current Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had promised that if Congress came to power, it would repeal the anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws. He said that farmers, minority communities and backward classes are disappointed due to such laws.

Commenting on the anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws, Siddaramaiah had said, “Article 21 of the Constitution already gives freedom to everyone to choose their religion and follow any religion. If we come to power, the law will repeal it.”