The Legislative Assembly of the South Indian state of Karnataka has passed a law that criminalises religious conversions through force, fraud or allurement. It is the tenth state in India so to do. Penalties range from fines of £250–£300 to prison for three to ten years.
Some suggest the legislation is to curb Muslim organisations who lure non-Muslim girls to marry Muslim men and oblige the bride to convert to Islam.
More than 40 civil society and religious groups in Bangalore, home to many Christian churches, organisations and seminaries have taken to the streets to protest that the Bill trampled on their constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of religion, privacy and dignity.
