Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's recent remarks regarding religious conversions have ignited a political firestorm, drawing sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The controversy stems from Siddaramaiah's assertion that conversions occur due to inequality within society, particularly within Hinduism.

Siddaramaiah questioned why individuals would choose to convert if Hinduism offered equal opportunities to all. He further elaborated that while he personally doesn't encourage conversions, it is an individual's right to choose their faith. He also pointed out that only a person's current caste is recorded after conversion and that conversions are often driven by social reasons. In response to BJP's accusations that the Congress government was creating 47 new Christian castes to divide Hindus and promote conversions, Siddaramaiah stated that conversions happen because of inequality in society, not government action. He also posed the question, "How did untouchability come into practice? Have we created untouchability?". These comments were made in the context of the upcoming socioeconomic survey in Karnataka, where concerns have been raised about the registration of individuals who have converted to Christianity under their original caste.

The BJP has reacted strongly, accusing Siddaramaiah of being "anti-Hindu" and harboring an agenda to divide the Hindu community. BJP leaders have alleged that Siddaramaiah's statements are akin to encouraging Hindus to convert and that the Congress government is working to weaken Hindu society. They have also accused the Chief Minister of diverting attention from the government's decision to officially notify castes with Hindu names but with the prefix 'Christian'.

Furthermore, the BJP has questioned Siddaramaiah's silence on inequalities and the treatment of women in Islam, suggesting that his political ideology is based on minority appeasement. Some BJP leaders have challenged Siddaramaiah to question the equality within Islam with the same fervor that he questions Hinduism. They have urged him to remove his "left-wing lens" and think objectively.

The BJP state president, B.Y. Vijayendra, stated that Siddaramaiah's statement was akin to encouraging Hindus to convert to other faiths. He accused the CM of diverting people's attention from the government's "blunder" of officially notifying castes having Hindu names with a prefix of 'Christian'. "Instead of clarifying this move, Siddaramaiah has questioned equality within the Hindu community. This shows his intolerance towards the Hindu faith," he added.

R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, challenged the CM to question the inequalities within Islam and asked Siddaramaiah to remove his lens of "left-wing ideology" that makes him criticize Hindus, and instead think objectively.

The controversy has escalated with the BJP planning to protest against Siddaramaiah's remarks. The issue is likely to remain a contentious one in Karnataka politics, especially with the upcoming socioeconomic survey and the BJP's accusations against the Congress government.