Right-wing groups in Karnataka’s kolar district on Saturday have reportedly attacked four members of the Christian community and set their religious books on fire, alleging forced religious conversions, the Indian Express reported.
According to the police, members of Hindu right-wing groups attacked four Christians who had come to a rented accommodation in Kolar’s Srinivasapura to hold discussions on a drive to distribute religious books. However, they were allegedly stopped by Hindutva groups who questioned them, snatched away their religious books and started burning them.
Talking to Indian Express, a police source said that people from the Christian community later met them and narrated the incident. They also said that no forced conversion had taken place and they had come to discuss the drive to distribute religious books. However, no complaint was registered against the right-wing members in connection to the incident.
On Sunday, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, said, “A majority of people want to ban religious conversion. The law department is reviewing it (draft bill). After the review, it will be cleared in the cabinet meeting.”
“Hindus, Christians, Muslims and Sikhs are the faiths recognised by the Constitution. There is no problem if people follow the customs of their respective religions. However, there should be no scope for misusing someone’s poverty to lure them into changing their faith,” he added.
Alleging that it is aimed at “targeting Christians,” Congress has vowed to oppose the anti-conversion Bill during the upcoming Winter Session of the Assembly.
“We will oppose the Bill, no matter in what form the government introduces it,” said DK Shivakumar, president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
