Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore has praised the decision by the government of Karnataka, a state in southeastern India, to recommend repealing a controversial anti-conversion law.
Newsroom(17/06/2023 10:00, Gaudium Press) The law, known as the “Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act,” was seen by critics as a means of intimidating religious minorities in the predominantly Hindu nation.
The repeal of the law is still pending adoption by the state legislature, with debate scheduled to begin on July 3. The law was passed last year under a government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a right-wing Hindu nationalist party headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Archbishop Machado described the law as discriminatory, anti-constitutional, and unnecessary, and expressed satisfaction with the decision to repeal it. He hopes that the repeal will have a smooth passage in the assembly when it is brought for discussion.
The anti-conversion law proposed imprisonment and fines for individuals involved in religious conversions, with stricter penalties for violations involving minors, women, and members of protected classes. The law also introduced a cumbersome process for religious conversion, requiring a 30-day notice to a district magistrate and allowing objections that could trigger a formal investigation.
The law also contained a provision to nullify marriages entered into solely for the purpose of religious conversion.
Archbishop Machado stated that the anti-conversion law had led to increased attacks on Christians and fueled mistrust and disharmony between communities. He expressed hope that other states would follow suit and withdraw similar bills.
In response to the repeal, a BJP lawmaker named Tejasvi Surya objected, stating that the anti-conversion law was aimed at preventing fraudulent and coercive conversions. He criticized the Congress party, India’s main opposition group, for prioritizing its vote bank interests over the spirit of the constitution and the law of the land.
The repeal of the anti-conversion law in Karnataka is seen as a validation of the Church’s consistent stand against the law and a reaffirmation of the fundamental right to freedom of religion enshrined in Article 25 of the Indian Constitution.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now
