'Videos Doctored, Charges Baseless': Karnataka Minister On Church Attacks

Since September, as the Karnataka cabinet started discussions on an anti-conversion bill, a spate of attacks on churches and the Christian community have been reported.

There has been no attack on the Christian community in Karnataka because of their religion and a spin is given to attacks on a personal level to create a campaign, Dr Ashwathnarayan CN -- the state's former Deputy Chief Minister and a minister in Basavaraj Bommai's cabinet --- told NDTV today. When it was pointed out that attacks on church have taken place and videos of it have been aired, he said "it might be fabricated".

Since September, as the state cabinet started discussions on an anti-conversion bill, a spate of attacks on churches and the Christian community have been reported.

There have been reports of at least seven attacks by right-wing vigilantes -- religious books have been burnt and mobs have barged into churches and attacked its members.

In most cases, these have been preceded by allegations of forcible conversion and there is concern that a bill may lead to an escalation in violence.