Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], December 23 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai on Thursday said that the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, will protect the vulnerable sections like SC, ST, OBC, poor people from being exploited through allurement.

Speaking to ANI, Karnataka CM said, "Vulnerable sections like SC, ST, OBC, poor people have been exploited through allurement. We want to stop that. Bill is as per the law and pro-vulnerable section and we stand by it."

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Earlier in the day, former chief minister and CLP leader Siddaramaiah called the bill an 'RSS agenda' and further alleged that the drafted bill prepared in 2016 was completely different from what the current state government has drafted in 2021.

Reacting to Siddaramaiah's remark, Bommai said, "Certainly, there is nothing to hide. He (Siddaramaiah) himself had printed the Bill and signed the draft. He is a part of it. He approved the RSS agenda in 2016 itself."

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Meanwhile, Amid the ruckus by the Opposition, Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 or anti-conversion bill.

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. (ANI)

(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)