‘Inter-faith marriage not wrong but…’: Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra sets up panel to frame ‘love jihad’ law

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday that it is not wrong for a person of one religion to marry a person of another religion.

"But, marrying by defrauding, lying, providing false identities, and then abandoning the children after marriage, it is a serious issue," Devendra Fadnavis said. He said action must be taken against this.

"Love jihad" is a term used by right-wing activists and outfits to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to convert Hindu women to Islam through marriage.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister said such cases of 'love jihad' were rising in Maharashtra. Fadnavis said the Supreme Court and Kerala High Court have made observations about the reality of "love jihad".

"The Supreme Court has also shown the reality of love jihad in its decision and endorsed it. And even in a state like Maharashtra, we are constantly seeing that such cases are increasing," Devendra Fadnavis said.

Committee against 'love jihad'

Fadnavis' statement came after the Maharashtra government set up a seven-member committee to explore legal options for a potential law against forced religious conversions and 'love jihad'.

The state government issued a Government Resolution (GR) stating that a committee headed by the state director general of police (DGP) will suggest steps to tackle the complaints of "love jihad" and forced conversions.

A panel led by the Director General of Police (DGP) includes senior officials from key departments such as women and child welfare, minority affairs, law and judiciary, social justice, special assistance, and home affairs to probe the matter.

The committee will review similar laws in other states and suggest legal provisions to address complaints related to forced conversions and love jihad, news agency ANI reported.

Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha was quoted by PTI as saying the state government is taking strict steps to curb incidents of "love jihad" in the state.