Bengaluru (Karnataka): After Uttar Pradesh, the BJP government in Karnataka is contemplating a law against love jihad, a term used by fringe groups to describe interfaith relationships.
State Home Minister Basavraj Bommayi speaking to media persons in RT Nagar, Bengaluru said, we will discuss with experts about the prohibition of love jihad in the state. The government will take action against interfaith relationships, advice by the experts in the state. Our government will conduct studies about the prohibition of love jihad, a law which already exists in some of the other states. After research and advice by legal experts, we will move forward and implement the legal process in the state, Bommayi added.
For the past 10 years, there is a debate going on about to prohibit love jihad in the state, but it has not been brought to the mainstream before. But now after Allahabad Court's order, the theme and subject matter have been brought into the mainstream, everyone is discussing it and urging the government to implement it as early as possible. After conduction studies in other states we will look to take further actions in the state, he added.
In recent days, love jihad cases are on the rise in the state as well as in the country. Some organisations are campaigning to mislead youths in order to make the youth indulge in love jihad. The Allahabad High Court has also stated that love jihad is inappropriate. After the court order, some have begun to think that there should be a special law to prevent love jihad. Some states have already made a declaration prohibiting it. In order to control interfaith relationships, we also intend to form a new law within the framework of our constitution, Bommayi added.
BJP’s national general secretary in-charge of South India, CT Ravi said on Tuesday that the state government would bring a law to ban religious conversion for the sake of marriage. He also said that anyone involved in conversion activity shall face swift and severe punishment.
Mysore MP Prathap Simha said that, "When a boy loves a Hindu girl, the religion problem will not persist, but when the issue of marriage crops up, immediately it becomes a problem. This is a real problem plaguing the country. So it is essential to implement a law against the love jihad similar to state of Uttar Pradesh. A person who marries outside his faith must not force the girl to convert to his religion.
"Our government will take action and implement a separate law against love jihad in the coming days. After conducting studies in other states, we will conclude as to how we can implement the law in a right manner," said deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan.
Read: Voice for strong law against 'love jihad' gets stronger
