Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Dec 13: Addressing a press conference here on Monday December 13, state president of the Indian Christian Union, Prashanth Jathanna, said that the government is not right in moving the anti-conversion bill in the assembly in a hurry. "Our constitution has touched on this issue in detail. There are existing laws and the courts. Whatever action is necessary can be taken through them. The government should think deeply about the effect strict laws may have on the lives of the common people," he said.
Jathanna further said that any law, for being implemented, should be backed by documentary evidences to supplement it. He said that the ban on religious conversions is being thought of in order to target a particular community, and the government does not have any record to support its intentions. "Based on the statement of Gulihatti Shekhar, the survey is held in districts and the tahsildars who oversee the surveys, file reports. In Karnataka, not a single case of forced conversion has been proved. Only a few organizations are supporting this law. There are people in the country who continue to love the constitution. None of them supports the anti-conversion law. We have planned a day's symbolic hunger strike in Belagavi on December 17. The police department does not have any case of forcible religious conversion that has been proved. The things now happening are not religious conversions but changes in religious faiths," he stated.
He said that if there is any forcible conversion, people can bring it to the notice of the Indian Christian Union, and promised to file a complaint. He felt that if such a law comes into being, it tantamount to snatching away religious freedom. He expressed the suspicion that the law might be misused.
Legal advisor Noel Prashanth Karkada said, "The government should define what 'forced' conversion is. According to the proposed bill, fine has been increased to Rs 50,000 and imprisonment of 10 years. What if a fundamentalist organisation labels a person of indulging in forceful conversions, beats him up and hands him over to police? Does the law have any provision to file complaint against the fundamentalist organisation for beating up the person? This act will be a weapon for the fundamentalist organisations. No act should be passed just by targeting a small community. Every act before implementing should have explanation, definition and example before it gets passed. Without these fundamental issues discussed, no law can be passed.”
Indian Federation of Christian Associations district president Dr Neri Carnelio, secretary Richard Dias and state convener of Indian Christian Union Gladson Karkada were present.