Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday that it is not wrong for a person to marry a person of another religion.
Devendra Fadnavis said, “But, cheating on marrying, lying, providing false identity, and then leaving children after marriage, this is a serious issue.” He said that action should be taken against it.
“Love Jihad” is a word used by right -wing activists and organizations, who accuse Muslim men of a conspiracy to convert Hindu women into Islam through marriage.
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra said that such cases of ‘Love Jihad’ were increasing in Maharashtra. Fadnavis said that the Supreme Court and the Kerala High Court have visited the reality of “Love Jihad”.
Devendra Fadnavis said, “The Supreme Court has also shown and supported the reality of Prem Jihad in its judgment. And even in a state like Maharashtra, we are constantly seeing that such cases are increasing.”
Committee against ‘Love Jihad’
Fadnavis’s statement came after the establishment of a seven -member committee to find out legal options for forced religious conversions and ‘love jihad’ by the Maharashtra government.
The state government issued a government resolution (GR) stating that a committee headed by the State Director General (DGP) would give steps to deal with the complaints of “Love Jihad” and forced adaptations.
A panel led by Director General of Police (DGP) includes senior officials of major departments like Women and Child Welfare, Minority Affairs, Law and Judiciary, Social Justice, Special Assistance and Home Affairs to investigate the matter.
The news agency ANI said that the committee would review similar laws in other states and suggest legal provisions to address complaints related to forcible conversions, the news agency ANI said.
The PTI, a Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha, said that the state government is taking strict steps to curb the incidents of “love jihad” in the state.
