Karnataka Muslim, Christian Groups Step Up Demand To Withdraw Anti-Cow Slaughter, Anti-Conversion Laws

The Karnataka government is facing growing pressure from Muslim and Christian groups to act on the Congress’s promise to withdraw the state’s anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws, with the two communities now preparing a coordinated campaign ahead of the Winter Session in December.

According to Indian Express, community leaders have separately met Congress legislators and senior party leaders on several occasions to press for the withdrawal of the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, and the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022. They are also seeking action on reservation demands and clarity on the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025.

Muslim, Christian groups plan joint protests

Muslim groups are seeking clarity on the government’s position on reservation under the 2B category and want the quota increased from 4% to 8%, citing their share of the population. Christian groups, meanwhile, are demanding a separate 1% reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation framework.

The communities are also seeking clarity on the fate of the hate speech Bill, which was passed by both Houses of the Karnataka legislature. The Karnataka Governor referred the legislation to the President, following which the Ministry of Home Affairs stalled it, saying provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) were adequate to deal with hate speech.

The two communities are now planning to step up their campaign before the Winter Session. Shabeer Ahmed, a member of the Karnataka Rajya Muslim Okkoota (KRMO) Steering Committee, said the government had more than three years to act on its promise.

“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.”

According to Indian Express, the groups are working on programmes to create awareness within their respective communities and are planning a joint protest in November, besides demonstrations at district centres.

“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.

Congress had earlier backed down on legislation

The Congress government had initiated the process of withdrawing or amending the two laws after returning to power in 2023. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had taken up the issue in the initial days of his second tenure, but Hindu mutt seers collectively opposed any such move. Faced with that opposition, the government subsequently backed down.

The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act was introduced in 2020, while the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act was enacted in 2022, during the previous BJP government.

The issue has remained unresolved despite repeated representations from Muslim and Christian leaders. Indian Express reported that Congress recently secured a majority in the Legislative Council. A Cabinet minister said the government could now move on the two legislations.

Another senior minister said the government was still “mulling over” the laws and would abide by the Supreme Court’s ruling on hate speech, under which the apex court held that existing provisions were adequate to address such cases.

The Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, had been passed by both Houses of the legislature before the Governor referred it to the President. The Ministry of Home Affairs later stalled the legislation, citing the adequacy of provisions under the BNS.

Asked whether the government was facing pressure over 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.”

Government signals it is considering demands

The government had also faced pressure from Muslim groups earlier this year. In May, following a Muslim convention organised by the KRMO at which a document titled “Promises of Congress Government, Gaps in Delivery and Charter of Demands” was released, the state government withdrew the ban on Muslim girls wearing the hijab in educational institutions.

The government withdrew the ban as a damage control measure. However, the Congress government also viewed the convention as embarrassing and believed it had damaged the party’s image. The BJP government had imposed the hijab ban in educational institutions in 2022.

Health and Family Welfare, Minority Affairs, Haj and Wakf Minister U.T. Khader acknowledged that there was a demand to withdraw the two laws and said the government was considering the issue.

“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,” Khader said.