Archbishop Peter Machado expressed his support for the decision made by the government of Karnataka to revoke the anti-conversion statute that had been in place in their country. This law was reportedly enacted in 2022, which led to an increase in the number of attacks on Christians.
Revoking Anti-Conversion Law
UCA News reported that in September 2022, the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government passed the bill in defiance of opposition parties and minority groups, including Christians and Muslims, who comprise up 2% and 13% of Karnataka's 64 million residents, respectively. The leaders of the minority communities argued that the bill would provide extremist pro-Hindu groups with an instrument to use against them and that this was their primary concern. In the state election in May, the BJP was defeated, and in its place, a secular administration led by the Congress party was installed. During the election campaign, the Congress party committed to reverse all of the "unconstitutional decisions" made by the BJP, and the decision to repeal the rule prohibiting religious conversion was a component of this promise.
According to The Quint World, Karnataka's proposed anti-conversion law is comparable to legislation that has been or is in the process of being enacted in several other Indian states that were or are under the control of the BJP, including Gujarat (2021), Madhya Pradesh (2021), Uttar Pradesh (2021), Himachal Pradesh (2019), Uttarakhand (2018), Jharkhand (2017), Rajasthan (2006), and Chhattisgarh (2006). Arunachal Pradesh has a legal system, although this law has yet to be implemented. While many northern states still need to pass the law, law enforcement and lawmakers act as though it is a nationwide mandate.
As mentioned, if found guilty, the individual faces a possible prison sentence of three to five years and a monetary penalty of 25,000 rupees or more than $300. However, suppose the offense involved the improper conversion of a minor, a woman, or a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe. In that case, the individual faces a potential prison sentence of up to ten years and a fine of 50,000 rupees. Additionally, if there is an illegal "mass conversion," defined as the conversion of two or more people, the penalties can go as high as one lakh rupees or over $1300.
Archbishop Commends Karnataka Government's Decision
Based on a report from Matters India, there has been a rise in the number of assaults committed against Christians as a direct result of anti-conversion laws in Karnataka and other states. According to the archbishop of Karnataka state, who is in charge of the Catholic Church in the state, they have also contributed to the growth of uncertainty, distrust, and conflict across communities. Moreover, on Thursday, Jun 15, the administration of Karnataka, which is led by the Congress party, and which just won an election against the Bharatiya Janata Party, decided to repeal the anti-conversion law and advocated taking actions to legally remove the law during the next session of the state parliamentary assembly, which will begin on Monday, July 3.
On the other hand, in a press statement that was released following the state cabinet's decision to withdraw the legislation, the Archbishop of Bangalore, Peter Machado, expressed his appreciation and fulfillment towards the government of Karnataka for taking the initiative to overturn the anti-conversion bill. In addition, Jesuit Father Cedric Prakash, an advocate for human rights and peace, hailed the action taken by the government of Karnataka as a significant step in re-establishing the liberty guaranteed by the Indian constitution. The government of Karnataka has reportedly taken an essential step in protecting the constitutional rights of its citizens by repealing a regulation widely seen as extraordinarily harsh and prohibitive of religious conversion.
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