Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai criticised the state government for creating a new column for converted Christians in official records. He said the Constitution recognises only six religions and no new category can be added without legal authority.
Bommai called the move illegal, unconstitutional, and politically motivated. He accused the government of favouring Christian conversions while ignoring others. Bommai also claimed conversions take place through greed and inducements, exploiting poverty and lack of education. He added that many people had returned to Hinduism and raised doubts about the intent behind such conversions.
Conversion law and CM’s stance under debate
Bommai alleged that the Chief Minister went against the anti-conversion law by declaring conversion as a right. He said this step ignored the existing law and undermined social harmony. Bommai pointed out that the CM had also claimed there is no equality in Hinduism, which he dismissed as a justification for conversion.
He said such remarks and actions create division among communities. According to him, the decision to include a separate column for converted Christians came from political advice taken by the Chief Minister’s circle, which he described as an attempt to sow unrest among religions.
ಸಂವಿಧಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೇವಲ ಆರು ಧರ್ಮಗಳು ಇವೆ, ಅಷ್ಟೇ ಧರ್ಮಗಳ ಹೆಸರು ಬರೆಯಬೇಕು. ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಮತಾತಂತರಗೊಂಡ ಕ್ರೈಸ್ತರು ಅನ್ನುವ ಹೊಸ ಕಾಲಂ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇದೊಂದು ಧರ್ಮದ ರೀತಿ ಕಾಲಂ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇದು ಕಾನೂನು ಬಾಹಿರ, ಸಂವಿಧಾನ ಬಾಹಿರ, ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಪ್ರೇರಿತವಾಗಿದೆ. ಎರಡೂ ಕಡೆಯೂ ಮತಾಂತರ ಆಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ. ಆದರೆ, ಸಿಎಂ ಕ್ರೈಸ್ತ ಧರ್ಮದ ಮತಾಂತರಕ್ಕೆ…
— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) September 14, 2025
Concerns over caste census expenditure
The former Chief Minister criticised the government for wasting public funds on the caste survey. He said the state had already spent Rs 350 crore and was preparing to spend another Rs 420 crore. Bommai questioned the need for caste data in a social and economic survey.
He argued that collecting caste details only for political purposes harms the state. He also expressed doubts about the CM’s instruction to submit the caste census report by December. According to him, the timing of the report linked directly to speculation about a leadership change in the Congress government.
Political motives linked to guarantee schemes
Bommai further raised objections to the collection of data on guarantee scheme beneficiaries through the caste census. He asked what connection existed between socio-economic surveys and welfare schemes. He accused Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar’s faction of using the caste census politically to strengthen their position. Bommai said the survey served as a tool to identify beneficiaries and to use them as a political weapon. He alleged that the ruling faction planned to use the caste report to secure power and influence in December, while ignoring the real purpose of socio-economic surveys.
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
