New Proposed ‘Love Jihad’ Laws
And so, enter the series of ‘Love Jihad’ laws that are being touted in five states in India today: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka and Assam.
Given the fact that ‘Love Jihad’ itself is an undefined, unrecognized concept even to the BJP, it is not surprising that the proposed legislations (for UP and MP at least) focus on questioning conversions and making them conversions for the good of marriage are illegal. .
To begin with, let’s be clear: there is no legal basis for such laws, either because of the overreach they would imply or the fact that real illegalities are already covered by existing legislation, such as state laws against forced conversions and criminal intimidation under the IPC.
As long as two adults are involved with their consent, the right to privacy and the right to practice a religion or faith of their choice excludes any interference from the state, the courts, right-wing bullies, and even the couple’s families, no amount Creativity in drafting legislation can change that.
But legality is not a consideration when it comes to ‘Love Jihad’ laws and it has never worried those who have propagated this concept. And this is where these new touted laws coincide with laws against miscegenation, such as the second Nuremberg Act, or the laws of the United States and South Africa’s apartheid.
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