Pressure rising on Karnataka government to withdraw anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws

The Congress government seems to be under pressure as restive Muslim and Christian communities have come together with a demand to act on the party’s promise to withdraw the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, popularly known as the anti-cow slaughter legislation, and the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022, known as the anti-conversion Act.

Besides, Muslims are seeking clarity on the government’s stand over reservation for them under 2B category, and are urging the government to increase the reservation from 4% to 8% based on the population. Christians are demanding a separate 1% reservation under the OBC reservation matrix. The communities have also sought clarity on the imbroglio over the hate speech Bill.

Though former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had initiated the process to withdraw/amend the legislations in the initial days of the second tenure in 2023, it came under pressure from Hindu mutt seers, who had collectively opposed any such move, forcing the government to backtrack.

While the respective community leaders have met Congress’s legislators and senior leadership separately on multiple occasions to press for their demands, the community leaders are also planning a coordinated effort ahead of the Winter Session in December. “We have waited over three years for the government to act. The community has become restive at the inaction. What is the difference between the Congress and BJP governments, if it continues with the same legislations? Muslims suffered under the BJP and incidents of attack on Christians continue even now,” said Shabeer Ahmed, Karnataka Rajya Muslim Okkoota (KRMO) Steering Committee member. “The Winter Session would be the last possible window for the government to withdraw the legislation, and two communities are working together.”

Also read | Explained | Karnataka’s anti-conversion legislation

In May, after the KRMO announced a muslim convention where “Promises of Congress Government, Gaps in Delivery and Charter of Demands” was released, the State government withdrew the contentious ban on Muslim girls wearing hijab to educational institutions as a damage control measure. The Congress government, however, viewed the convention as embarrassing and that damaged the party’s image. In a controversial move, the BJP government in 2022 had banned wearing the hijab in educational institutions.

“Both communities are coming together in a big way across the State. Jointly strategies have been drawn for certain programmes to create awareness within communities and to take our demand to a logical end. Plans are afoot to hold a massive joint protest in November. Joint protests will also be held in district centres,” acknowledged J.A. Kanthraj, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Bangalore.

One of the Cabinet Ministers said that the government could move on the two legislations since the Congress has attained majority in the Upper House only recently. Stating that the government was still “mulling over” the legislations, another senior Minister said that the government would abide by the Supreme Court ruling on hate speech in which the apex court said that the current provisions were adequate to address hate speech. Incidentally, the Ministry of Home Affairs stalled the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, passed by both Houses of the legislature, citing that the provisions of BNS was adequate, after the Karnataka Governor referred the Bill to the President.

Asked if there was any pressure against action on the anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws, the Minister said: “There is no pressure on us. The Law Department will take a call on it.”

When his views were sought, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Minority Affairs, Haj and Wakf U.T. Khader said: “There is a demand to do it. The government (under Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar) is new. It is aware of the issue and is positively thinking about it.”