BJP's divisive agenda behind 'love jihad' law, says Congress

Haryana Congress Chief Kumari Selja said any normal free-thinking person will reject the love jihad law. She also added that the Courts make contrary decisions stating that certain decisions are to be made by the individuals.

New Delhi: Congress party, on Wednesday, slammed the Bhartiya Janta Party for playing a "divisive agenda" over religion by enacting 'anti-love jihad' law in various states. The statement comes after a group of 104 retired bureaucrats had written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath raising concern over the law.

During a press conference, Haryana Congress Chief Kumari Selja said to the reporters, "This is just a part of BJP-RSS divisive agenda. I do not know what useful purpose it will serve." Rather it is aligned to the religious agenda rather than granting justice to people, she added.

She added, "It is not just the 104 retired IAS officers, but any normal free thinking person would say that you cannot have these kind of laws in a country. Case after case, even the Courts are stepping in and saying that there are some issues which are between two individuals and they have to decide on their own what to do."

Expressing "deep disapproval" and concern over the use of 'anti-love jihad' law, the retired bureaucrats demanded its withdrawal as well as a suitable compensation for those booked under it. They also asserted that UP has become the "epicenter" of politics of hate, division and bigotry and the Institutions of Government are now "steeped in a communal poison".

The signatories of this letter include Shiv Shankar Menon, Wajahat Habibullah, K Sujatha Rao, T K A Nair and many others. In their letter, the bureaucrats also clarified that they have no political affiliation.

Speaking over the matter, Selja asserted, "Courts are always there to give justice. We already have enough provisions. Even after this kind of laws come into force, the Courts have made contrary decisions. Many times, law enforcement agencies find it very difficult to put in place this kind of sections."

Congress party is continuously opposing the laws on 'Love Jihad'. Recently, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Kapil Sibal had also tweeted over this issue, saying, "Love cannot ever be jihad. Jihad can never be love. Such laws perpetuate a jihadi culture on the purity of love."