Taking the first step towards stopping illegal religious conversions, the Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Department has asked officers to survey both official and non-official Christian missionaries operating within its borders.
The decision by the Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Committee was taken during a meeting at Vikasa Soudha on Wednesday. Some of the legislators who participated in the meeting were Puttaranga Setty, BM Farooq, Goolihatti Shekar, Ashok Naik, Virupakshappa Bellary amongst others.
Survey to analyze if any govt facilities are being given to missionaries
The government in the meeting also discussed a need to conduct a survey to analyze if the Christian missionaries are misusing government facilities. Next, it also pondered on initiating registrations of Christian missionaries.
The committee also opined withdrawal of government facilities from those who convert. The Central government in August this year had clarified that no person who professes a religion different from the Hindu, the Sikh or the Buddhist religion shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste.
As such, the benefits of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) meant for the welfare and development of Scheduled Castes can not be extended to Converted Christians from Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
‘40% church operating in state are not recognized’
Former minister and current BJP MLA Gulihatti Shekhar who was in news recently for raising the issue of rampant conversions in the assembly said that 40 per cent of the churches operating in the state are not officially recognised.
“Statistics are being gathered in this regard. The committee discussed unofficial missionaries operating in the state,” he said.
Sharing an anecdote, Shekhar had revealed how his own mother had been influenced and converted to Christianity by the missionaries. The extent of brainwashing by missionaries was such that his mother started to detest anything and everything Hindu. She had stopped applying kumkum and used to not even look at the idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses at their house, the MLA had informed.
Shekhar had claimed that as many as 15,000 to 20,000 people were converted to Christianity in his constituency.
He had also shared how Christian missionaries have been fooling people and luring them into the Christian fold by various methods, including fear, bribery and superstitions like healing prayers.
‘Karnataka studying anti-conversion law of various states’
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday had said that the state government has undertaken the task of studying the anti-conversion law of several states.
“We are deeply considering the implementation of a law to curb forceful religious conversion. We are studying the laws implemented in various states. We would like to bring the law as soon as possible,” the CM said while speaking to the media in Mangaluru.
