After Uttar Pradesh, Haryana now considers law against ‘forced inter-religious marriages’

A day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi said the state government will bring a strict law to curb incidents of “love jihad”, Haryana home minister Anil Vij said the same will be done in Haryana as well.

“A law against love jihad is being considered in Haryana,” Vij tweeted in Hindi on Sunday.

Addressing election rallies in Jaunpur and Deoria, Adityanath on Saturday referred to the recent Allahabad high court ruling which said conversion just for the sake of marriage is not valid and said the government is working towards bring a law to stop forced conversions. “I warn those who conceal identity and play with the respect of our sisters. If you don’t mend your ways, your ‘Ram Naam Satya’ journey will begin,” Adityanath said.

“The Allahabad high court has said that for marriages, changing religion isn’t necessary. The government too has decided to check ‘love jihad’ with all its might. An effective law would be made that would ensure that those who cheat gullible women by hiding their identity would be effectively dealt with,” the CM said.

“Love Jihad” is a term used by right-wing workers to describe interfaith relationships between a Muslim man and a Hindu woman. In February this year, the government told Parliament that there was no definition of the term and no such cases were reported by agencies.

Last week, a 21-year-old college student, Nikita, was shot dead in Haryana’s Ballabhgarh by a man. The victim’s family has alleged that the man was pressuring her to convert to Islam in order to marry him. Some Hindu outfits have alleged that the woman’s murder is a case of “love jihad”.

Last year, the Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission submitted a report to Adityanath, suggesting “a new law to check forcible religious conversions.”

(With Agency Inputs)