Karnataka logs 17 anti-conversion cases since 2023, no convictions yet; most end in compromise
Bengaluru: Karnataka has recorded 17 cases under the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022 between 2023 and 2026, with no convictions reported so far, according to figures placed before the Assembly.
Replying to a question by BJP MLC DS Arun on March 26, Home Minister G Parameshwara said three cases have been closed through ‘B’ reports while three are under police investigation and seven are pending before various courts.
Data shared by the minister showed that the highest number of cases were registered in 2023, when the Bharatiya Janata Party was in power. Of the 17 cases, 10 were filed in 2023, followed by three in 2024 and four in 2025. No cases have been registered so far in 2026.
The Indian National Congress, which assumed office in mid-2023, had promised in its election manifesto to repeal the Act. Although a draft repeal was reportedly circulated soon after the government took charge, no legislative steps have been initiated to withdraw the law.
The demand for repeal has been raised on multiple occasions. The issue figured during the 37th General Body Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Council of India, and Christian groups in Bengaluru had planned a protest ahead of the budget session beginning March 4, which was later deferred. During St Mary’s Feast in Bengaluru last year, Archbishop Peter Machado publicly urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to repeal the law. The Chief Minister had said the matter would be addressed in due course.
According to The News Minute report, district-wise data show that Bengaluru accounted for seven cases, four in 2023, one in 2024 and two in 2025, while two cases each were registered in Chitradurga and Gadag. One case each was reported from Mysuru, Haveri, Kodagu, Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Shivamogga.
The first case under the Act was registered in Bengaluru on October 13, 2022. The case was filed against a 22-year-old Muslim man accused of forcibly converting an 18-year-old Hindu woman after they allegedly eloped. On March 4, 2026, a magistrate court acquitted him after the complainant, the woman’s mother, informed the court that no forced conversion had taken place and that the parties had reached a compromise.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Belagavi’s Basavaraj Kempawad tops UPSC Indian Forest Service exam
Belagavi: Basavaraj Kempawad of Belagavi district has secured the first rank in the Indian Forest Service (IFS) examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.
Basavaraj, a native of Savadi village in Athani taluk of Belagavi district, achieved All India Rank 1 in the prestigious examination, marking a significant accomplishment.
His achievement has drawn widespread appreciation, with congratulatory messages pouring in from various organisations, public representatives and prominent personalities.
