The Karnataka Government was considering enacting a law to regulate religious conversion, as a ruling BJP MLA said his own mother has converted to Christianity falling prey to inducement, state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said on Tuesday.
Hosadurga BJP MLA Goolihatti Shekhar, raising the issue during zero hour in the assembly, said religious conversions by force or through inducement have become rampant in the State, quoting the example of his own mother.
"The issue (of religious conversions) has come to the Government's notice, converting people from one religion to another by inducing them is a punishable offence. We will keep vigil on such activities. There is a wide network working on religious conversions across the country," Jnanendra said in his reply in the assembly.
There have been serious discussions regarding controlling such religious conversions, by bringing in a bill or in any other form. "To increase the followers of a particular faith, people being converted through inducements or by misusing their health condition, is not right," he said, adding that there is freedom to voluntarily follow any religion. Indulging in religious conversion with inducement or under pressure is an "unpardonable offence", the Minister further said adding, it may also lead to disturbance of peace in the society.
"The government is aware that it needs to be controlled...." he added. Claiming that religious conversions were rampant in the state, Shekhar said 15,000 to 20,000 people have been converted in his constituency and his own mother has converted to Christianity. He said under the anti superstition law certain religious practices among Hindus in rural areas have been banned, while certain Christian missionaries and Churches are luring innocent people and those ill to visit their religious places, with an assurance to cure their diseases, where they are "brainwashed".