Launching a scathing attack on the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) over the 'love jihad' controversy, the Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday, 20 November, said that the word 'love jihad' is manufactured by the party to divide the nation and disturb communal harmony.
Gehlot further stated that marriage is a matter of personal liberty, bringing a law to curb it is completely unconstitutional.
“Will not stand in any court of law. Jihad has no place in Love,” Gehlot tweeted.
The Rajasthan chief minister in another tweet said that law against 'love jihad' seems a ploy to disrupt communal harmony, fuel social conflict and disregard constitutional provisions like the State not discriminating against citizens on any ground.
He went on to say that the BJP is creating an environment where consenting adults would be at the mercy of State power.
The series of tweets come days after Madhya Pradesh government announced that they will bring a law against 'love jihad' in the next Assembly session, that will provide for five years of rigorous imprisonment.
Meanwhile, Anil Vij, the Home Minister of Haryana, on 17 November, said that a stringent law will be enacted to control ‘love jihad’ cases, and a committee will be formed for the same, IANS reported.
Earlier today, the Uttar Pradesh Home Department announced that a strict law against ‘love jihad’ will soon be brought in the state. The Home Department of the state has sent a proposal on the same to the Department of Law, reported news agency ANI.
On 31 October, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that his government will enact a strict law to curb ‘love jihad’ while addressing a gathering.
BJP Leaders Hit Out at Gehlot
However, BJP national General Secretary CT Ravi hit out at Ashok Gehlot and said that his allegations are incorrect.
“Thousands of families have been troubled because of love jihad.CT Ravi
He further alleged that the Rajasthan CM does not understand the trouble endured by these families and said “it is because of the troubles faced by thousands of families that UP and Karnataka are considering coming up with new love jihad laws.”
BJP leader Satish Poonia also reacted to CM Gehlot’s statement, saying that he is ignoring the ‘sufferings of daughters’.
“In our culture, marriage isn’t just an individual choice, it also encompasses approval of religion and society. Agenda of ‘Love -Jihad’, sufferings of our daughters are clear to everyone and to ignore it only shows his small thinking,” the Rajasthan BJP chief said, according to ANI.
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