Days ago UP CM Yogi Adityanath announced a law to be made to curb the menace of “Love Jihad”. Only after a day of that Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar too said his government would take a step forward and said his government was contemplating provisions against it.
What is Love Jihad?
It aims to portray to a Muslim boy who manipulates and brainwashes a girl from any other religion in the name of love and forces her to convert as Muslim. Such Muslim boys are portrayed as Jihadi.
The matter of Love jihad recently came into light when a girl (Nikita) from Ballabhgarh, Haryana was shot dead by a Muslim Boy (Tausif) for refusing to marry him. Earlier police refused to register the case but they had to when the campaign “Justice for Nikita” flooded internet. During interrogation Tausif revealed that he and his friend (Rehan) was ree borrowed the gun from one of his relative who already have a criminal background and shot her.
Another case of Love Jihad was of one Anjana Tiwari alias Aisha who immolated herself in front of the UP Vidhan Sabha in October, 2020 and died. According to reports she was earlier married and divorced. When she use to work in a shop with her sister she met Asif. Asif raped her and later to escape charges he convinced her to marry. After that he went to Gulf and kept pressurizing her to convert to Islam. The complainant also stated that even his family rejected her and asked her to convert.
Due to these events UP CM Yogi Adityanath warned: “Your Ram Naam Satya journey will begin if you don’t mend ways.” He also clarified that this is for the mafias and criminals and not those who are engaged inter-religion marriage. “The Allahabad High Court said religious conversion is not necessary for marriage. The government will also work to curb love jihad. We will make a law. I warn those who conceal their identity and play with our sisters’ respect that if you don’t mend your ways, your ‘Ram Naam Satya’ journey will begin.”
Anil Vij who is Haryana cabinet minister, said that: “Attempts are being made by unscrupulous elements to force people to convert their religion through love jihad. In Nikita murder case too, the victim’s family had alleged that she was being forced to change her religion.” He added that discussions will be held with allies on this issue. “If a law is necessary to stop this love jihad, we will bring it.”
After Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka too hinted at a law against love jihad. MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that – “Jihad will not be permitted in the name of love at any cost in the state. Necessary legal provisions will be made against love jihad.”
Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa said: “We have seen many reports in newspapers and in the electronic media about conversions due to love jihad. I discussed this with officials. We are going to end this. The luring of young girls with the use of money or love is something we are taking seriously.”
In the case of Anjali Jain (September 2019), the woman married a Muslim man in an Arya Samaj temple after he converted to Hinduism. The family of the girl alleged that the conversion was fake and he again converted back to Islam after marriage.
The Supreme Court said that – “while inter-faith marriages are good for society and need to be encouraged, the girl’s interests need to be protected as well.”
