Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today tweeted against the “love jihad” campaigns
Jaipur:
Rajasthan’s chief minister, Ashok Gehlot, criticized the BJP today for “loving jihad”, accusing the ruling party of “fabricating a word to divide the nation and disturb communal harmony.”
Gehlot’s comment comes as more and more BJP-ruled states announce plans for laws against what many call a right-wing conspiracy theory about relations between Muslim men and Hindu women, one that the center has said “no it is defined in the law “.
Mr. Gehlot also accused the BJP of violating the Constitution and the personal freedom of citizens in choosing marriage partners. In tweets posted Friday morning, he also accused the center of “creating an environment in which consenting adults (are) at the mercy of state power.”
“‘Love jihad’ is a word manufactured by the BJP to divide the nation and disturb communal harmony. Marriage is a matter of personal freedom … bringing a law to stop it is completely unconstitutional and will not be upheld in any court of law ‘Jihad’ has no place in love, “he said.
Love Jihad is a word manufactured by the BJP to divide the nation and disturb community harmony. Marriage is a matter of personal freedom, bringing a law to stop it is completely unconstitutional and will not be upheld in any court of law. Jihad has no place in love.
1 /– Ashok Gehlot (@ ashokgehlot51) November 20, 2020
“They are creating an environment in the nation where consenting adults would be at the mercy of state power. Marriage is a personal decision and they are putting a brake on it, which is like taking away personal freedom,” added the Chief Minister.
Mr. Gehlot later described the calls against “love jihad” as a “ploy to disrupt communal harmony, fuel social conflict and disregard constitutional provisions …”.
It seems like a ploy to disrupt community harmony, fuel social conflict, and ignore constitutional provisions, as the state does not discriminate against citizens for any reason.
3 /– Ashok Gehlot (@ ashokgehlot51) November 20, 2020
Shortly after, the BJP responded and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat claimed that “thousands of young women” had been trapped due to the “jihad of love”. Mr. Shekhawat stated that if it was a question of personal freedom, women should be “free to keep their religion.”
“Dear AshokHeeLove Jihad is a trap that has thousands of young women believing that marriage is a personal matter, where it later turns out it is not. Also, if it is a question of personal freedom, why are women not free to keep their maiden name or religion?
Dear Ashok ji, Love Jihad is a trap that has thousands of young women believing that marriage is a personal matter, where it turns out later that it is not.
Also, if it is a question of personal freedom, why are women not free to keep their maiden name or religion?
1 /– Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) November 20, 2020
Shekhawat also attacked Congress, suggesting that Gehlot’s support for “this act of deception (” love jihad “) under the garb of personal freedom” was a showcase for a community agenda.
“AshokHee, manufacturing terms, riots and hatred is a prerogative of Congress. The BJP has believed in Sabka vikas therefore, we will ensure that our women are not subjected to injustice of any kind, “he added.
Ashok ji, terms of manufacture, riots and hatred is a prerogative of Congress. The BJP has believed in Sabka Vikas, therefore it will ensure that our women are not subjected to injustice of any kind.
3 /#LoveJihaad#DeshVirodhiCongress– Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) November 20, 2020
“Love jihad” is a pejorative used by right-wing groups to target relations between Muslim men and Hindu women, which they say is a ruse to convert women by force.
Relationships between Hindu men and Muslim women are generally ignored.
It is a term not recognized by the center. In February, the Union Interior Ministry told parliament that “love for Jihad is not defined in law” and central agencies had not reported such a case.
That, however, has not stopped several BJP-ruled states from speaking out about what many feel is a right-wing conspiracy theory and insisting that their governments will push through “anti-jihad of love” legislation.
Earlier today, the ANI news agency quoted an official from the Uttar Pradesh government’s Interior Department as saying that “a strict law against the ‘jihad of love’ will soon be introduced into the state.”
On Tuesday, the Haryana government made a similar statement. Haryana’s Interior Minister Anil Vij’s comments came hours after his Madhya Pradesh counterpart said his government was also planning such a law and that the culprits could face up to five years in rigorous prison.
However, the loudest voice in this campaign has been that of the Yogi Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh.
Before the Assembly elections on November 3, he cited an order from the Allahabad High Court on religious conversion for marriage and invoked “Ram naam satya“- a reference to a Hindu dirge seen by many as a warning of violence – to threaten” those who … play with the respect of our sisters. “
But in UP, the only BJP state where police are investigating the so-called “love jihad,” cases are rapidly unraveling, an NDTV investigation has found.
With contributions from ANI
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