Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], December 23 (ANI): After Karnataka Legislative assembly passed the anti-conversion bill, state Minister for Science and Technology Ashwathnarayan CN on Thursday said that the bill will facilitate transparency and accountability.

Speaking to ANI, here in Belagavi, Ashwathnarayan CN, said, "This was a much-awaited Bill. It will facilitate transparency and accountability. It is a forward-looking Bill that will address many challenges being currently faced. It will create harmony in the society."

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The Bill will provide for the protection of the right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means. It proposes imprisonment of up to 10 years for forced religious conversion.

In the state assembly, during the discussion on the bill, Siddaramaiah had further alleged that the drafted bill prepared in 2016 was completely different from what the current state government has drafted in 2021. (ANI)

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(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)