From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Dec 21: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Chief D K Shivakumar and Congress Opposition leader in the Assembly Siddaramaiah while addressing media representatives in Belagavi after the Congress Legislature Party meeting on Tuesday, reiterated the party’s staunch opposition to the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP regime’s move to introduce Anti-Conversion Bill and termed the bill as anti-constitutional.

“We have been opposing the ruling BJP government’s moves on anti-conversion bill and attacks against minorities, especially Christians and Muslims, as the proposed legislation is nothing but a ploy to divert people’s attention as also create unrest and disturb peace in the State for political gains,’’ they said.

The Congress leaders maintained that a law against forcible conversion already exists. “The freedom to profess and practice faith as guaranteed under the Constitution can never be denied or snatched by anybody. The bill is purely a religious matter and affects Buddhism, Christianity and all other religions too,’’ Shivakumar said.

The KPCC Chief pointed out that many foreigners visit ISCON, Amruthanandamayi Ashram and other Hindu religious centres and these foreigners come here to chant Hare Rama, Hare Krishna bhajans. The proposed bill affect everybody and create unrest and uneasy feelings among even the foreign devotees visiting India, he said.

India is a secular and peace-loving country. People of all castes, communities and religions co-exist and because of such attitudes foreigners respect and visit India. The ruling BJP is trying to disturb peace and create disharmony. The ruling party is targeting some Christians, he said pointing out that Moghuls, Portuguese and British had ruled the country. “But has their population increased because of these foreign rulers? There are hardly 2.3 % Christians in the country,’’ he said.

Shivakumar alleged that all political party leaders seek education for their children in Christian educational institutions or treatment in the community’s hospitals.

“I studied in a Christian educational institution. But nobody forced me to convert or taught me about Christian religion,’’ he said and mentioned that children of as many as 21 ministers are studying in Christian educational institutions and wondered if there was any single incident of forcible conversion?

The State Congress President said the Christian community has been rendering social service just as Hindu institutions also conduct religious services. But none of the Hindu institutions seek to convert people and the proposed bill will harm the image of the State and the Congress party will oppose it totally, he declared.

When forcible conversion did not take place so far, why this sudden bogie of forcible conversions now. Even though Moghuls ruled the country for long, the population of Muslims is hardly 11 to 12 %. "Ours is a Hindu majority country. But is any forcible conversion to Hinduism taking place? There is no point in politically misusing the legislation,’’ he said and even opposed the BJP campaign against love jihad. If two people belonging to different religions love each other, they get married. That does not mean it is love jihad.

To the charge that Congress party is indulging in appeasement politics, Shivakumar said he cannot answer all kinds of baseless charges. "If anybody commits any crime or does anything wrong, let such persons be punished. But it is not correct to blame the Congress party,’’ he said.

10-day Mekedatu padayatra from Jan 9

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar announced the Congress party’s plans to launch a padayatra from Mekedatu to Bengaluru from January 9 to press for early implementation of the Mekedatu drinking water project.

The 10-day padayatra will culminate in Bengaluru and cover a distance of about 170 kms and travel through 15 constituency

Initially conceived in 1968, the Mekedatu project envisages to impound 66 TMC ft. of water and generate 440 megawatts of power. While it was estimated to cost Rs. 5,912 crore in 2013, it has been revised to Rs. 9,500 crore in 2018.

“As there is no case pending in Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal has also approved it, there is no reason to delay it. The BJP is not committed to any irrigation project, including UKP, Upper Bhadra, Yettinahole and Mahadayi,” Siddaramaiah told reporters.

He said the Mekedatu project once implemented will benefit about 2.5 crore population in 10 districts besides bringing down pressure on other reservoirs in Cauvery basin.

“Currently, only 30 % of Bengaluru is receiving Cauvery water. The project will help address drinking water woes in Bengaluru, Kolar and Chikkaballapura. Tamil Nadu will benefit more than Karnataka,’’ Siddaramaiah said.

Terming the padayatra for ‘Namma Neeru Namma Hakku’ (Our water our right), he said that organisations, associations and NGOs across the State have been invited to join the padayatra.

When asked if the Janata Dal (Secular) will be invited, he said: “We will not invite those who do not come.”

Shivakumar said the 10-day padayatra from Mekedatu will pass through Kanakapura, Ramanagara, Bidadi before culminating in Bengaluru. “We have chosen routes that will have double road to prevent any inconvenience to public. The padayatra will either culminate in Basavanagudi or Freedom Park in Bengaluru,’’ he said adding: Anyone from across Karnataka could join the padayatra.