The 21-year-old student was arrested in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, just days after the law was enacted by the state to target “love jihad” – a term used by radical Hindu groups accusing Muslim men of trying to convert women of other faiths. Islam.
Uttar Pradesh enacted an anti-conversion law on Saturday, making “forced” or “fraudulent” religious conversions a non-bailable offense, with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
By law, a marriage will be declared “null and void” if the woman is converted for that purpose only. Those wishing to change their religion after marriage will have to apply to higher district authorities.
The same day the law came into force, a man named Tikaram Rathore lodged a report with the police, alleging that the male student was forcing his 20-year-old Hindu daughter, who is married, to convert to Islam and marry him.
Rathore alleged that the man developed a friendship with his daughter at school, and that he wanted to “force, coax and seduce” her to convert.
Rathore said in his complaint, “Despite constant denials from me and my family, he (the accused) is putting pressure on us by threatening abuse and death.”
Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district confirmed through Facebook that the man had been arrested on Wednesday.
Critics have called the law Islamophobic, unconstitutional and resistant. Many worry that it will lead to abuse and harassment and that the law will make it more difficult for international couples to marry in the country.
Other states, including Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka and Assam, have announced plans to follow Uttar Pradesh and introduce similar laws.
All five states are ruled by the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has faced accusations of perpetuating anti-Muslim sentiment.
The BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has come under fire for such legislation before. Last year, the BJP-ruled state of Himachal Pradesh amended anti-conversion laws, banning conversions through misrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, allotment or marriage. He also served a non-bailable prison sentence for the crime.
Critics of the BJP say religious polarization has increased since Modi came to power in 2014. Hindu-Muslim marriages have long been the subject of controversy in India – but in recent months tensions have risen over the idea of ”Love Jihad” dominating the headlines.
In October, popular jewelery brand Tanishq ran an advertisement for an interview couple – a Hindu woman and a Muslim man. Right-wing Indians accused him of promoting a “love jihad” and after heavily trolling him online, the company pulled out an ad saying it feared the “well-being” of its employees.
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