CHANDIGARH: A day after Uttar Pradesh announced of bringing a law against ‘love jihad’, Haryana too is also considering legal provisions against it. Citing the recent murder of a student in Faridabad’s Ballabhgarh, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the incident is being linked to ‘love jihad’, a derogatory coinage used by right-wing activists to refer to the alleged campaign of Muslims forcing Hindu girls to convert in the guise of love.
Last week, 21-year-old college student, Nikita, was shot dead in 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. Earlier in the day, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij tweeted the state government ‘is contemplating a law against love jihad’.
A few right-wing Hindu outfits have alleged that the woman’s murder is a case of love jihad. The working president of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Alok Kumar met the victim’s family on Friday and expressed concern over the incident. “A talented young, ambitious girl was murdered by Islamic jihadists at a public place in broad daylight. It is very difficult to bear this loss,” Kumar said.
On Saturday, Adityanath had said his government would come out with a law to deal with ‘love jihad’ and used the Hindu funeral chant ‘Ram Naam Satya Hai’ to threaten those who don’t respect their daughters and sisters.
He said posters would be put up of those involved in ‘love jihad’. Adityanath also welcomed the Allahabad High Court ruling declaring that conversion for the sole purpose of marriage is not valid.