New Delhi: When several Bhartiya Janata Party ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, are planning to bring in strict laws against "love jihad", Congress leaders slammed the ruling party for "manufacturing" a new word to "divide" the nation in the name of religion.
While speaking to ETV Bharat, Congress senior leader PL Punia said, "There is no such word like 'Love Jihad'. This issue has been just to divide our country in the name of religion. They want to give a message to the people that they are against a particular religion and we want to take action against them.
"There are already enough laws on this issue. If they want to make stringent rules then they can make amendments to the existing laws and bring them to the Assembly. But portraying it as propaganda to disturb the harmony is wrong," he further added.
The first attack came from Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot after BJP Governed states of UP, Haryana and MP said that they are considering enactment of laws to curb such marriages. UP Home Department has even sent a proposal to the state's law ministry for a stringent law over the matter.
In a series of tweets, Gehlot said, "Love Jihad is a word manufactured by BJP to divide the nation and disturb communal harmony. Marriage is a matter of personal liberty, bringing a law to curb it, is completely unconstitutional and it will not stand in any Court of law. Jihad has no place in love."
"They are creating an environment in the nation where consenting adults would be at mercy of State Power. Marriage is a personal decision and they are putting curbs on it, which is like snatching away personal liberty," he said in another tweet.
However, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat accused the Rajasthan CM of supporting 'Love Jihad' under the garb of personal liberty and termed this Congress's "communal agenda".
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel took a jibe at BJP, saying, "Family members of several BJP leaders have also performed inter-religion marriages. I ask BJP leaders if these marriages also come under the definition of 'Love Jihad'?"
On Friday, another state leader TS Singh Deo also tweeted, "Love Jihad an exhaustingly bigoted term coined by BJP carried forward through the media propagandists has now reached the level of severity. The hatred and intolerance have crept so deeply that they are now brazenly planning laws against consensual interfaith marriages."
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi also tweeted, "Love Jihad reveal the patriarchal regressive mindset of RSS-BJP where they don't believe in a woman's right to choose her life path or partner. Bharat is a nation of strong women like Rani Jhansi, Indira Gandhi and Hima Das. BJP should not try to dictate to Indian women."
Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill mentioned in a tweet that Congress had enacted Special Marriage Act in 1954, for marriages between two people irrespective of their caste and religion. He further said, "In 2020, BJP is introducing love Jihad law to prohibit interfaith marriage to fulfil 1950 dream of RSS of demolishing constitution, changing freedom and crushing women rights."
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