Govt colluding with culprits who attack minorities: PUCL

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The controversial anti-conversion bill will likely be tabled at the Karnataka Winter Assembly Session. The state is also witnessing a sudden spate of attacks on Christians and churches across the state, the most recent being right-wing groups burning Christian religious texts in Kolar. The People’s Union for Civil Liberties has now made a serious allegation against Karnataka police, accusing them of colluding with Hindutva groups that attacked Christian worshippers in the state.

The PUCL Karnataka unit has documented 39 incidents of violence against Christians in the state this year, from January to November. “The alleged perpetrators from the saffron brigade seem to be enjoying protection from members of the government,” said the PUCL report, ‘‘Criminalizing the Practice of Faith,’ which was released on Tuesday.

Senior journalist Aakar Patel said, “Indians have the fundamental right to freely profess, practise and propagate religion.” Referring to Dr BR Ambedkar’s original draft that was submitted to the Constituent Assembly’s committees, he says that today, there is no right to propagate or convert in India.