Mangaluru : The BJP-led Karnataka government did not table the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, “with good intention” but with an eye on the vote bank politics, Mangaluru MLA U T Khader alleged on Saturday.

“The Bill was tabled to create confusion among people. without even bringing it in the Assembly business agenda,” he told media persons in Mangaluru.

“Noone will support forceful conversion in the country. There are already laws in place. The BJP government has tabled the Bill to fool the citizens of the state. If there are any loopholes in the existing laws, then it could have been strengthened,” he said.

To a query on Congress in the past drafting the anti-conversion bill, the MLA said that the Congress government had not drafted the bill.

“The Karnataka Law Commission had prepared a draft bill. However, the then Social welfare minister had deferred it citing that it was not required in the state in 2016 and the government never discussed it for two years while in power,” said the MLA.

Stating that there are chances of Bill being misused for political gain, MLA Khader alleged that the government failed to discuss the woes of the people in Karnataka in the Winter Session.

To a query on pro-Kannada organisations demanding a ban on MES and calling for a statewide bandh on December 31, Khader said “We can not tolerate any dishonour to Kannada. We have to respect other languages while loving one’s own mother tongue and Kannada. Marathi and Kannada speaking people are living in harmony in border areas. Banning MES is a legal issue. BJP was part of the MES in the past in Maharashtra,” he added.