Police to take action against religious conversions: Minister

Bangalore, Sep 15 (UNI) The Karnataka government will not tolerate forceful and illegal 'Religious Conversion' in the state and stern action will be taken against those who indulge in such activities, Minister for Power K S Eswarappa said today.

Speaking to newspersons here, he said that "certain anti-social elements who can not stomach the pro-people and smooth-sailing of the first ever BJP government in the South have indulged in bringing disrepute to the newly formed government." Referring to yesterday's attack on Churches in Udupi, Daxina Kannada and Chickmagalur districts, the minister said that state government has ordered an inquiry into all these incidents and will not spare anybody who were behind it. "Be it the activists of Bajrang Dal or anybody the state government will deal with stern action," he added.

He said that the state police have arrested several persons who were responsible for yesterday's incident in Daxina Kannada and other districts including those belonging to Bajrang Dal.

Police have been instructed to take actions against all those who were responsible for violence and also any organisations or individuals who were found guilty in encouraging and promoting illegal and forceful conversions from one religion to another religion by spreading hatredness.

Criticising Janata Dal (S) President and Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda for blaming the state government on the violence which erupted yesterday in Mangalore, Mr Eshwarappa appealed not to perceptive the things further by making any provocative statements.

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