UP proposes harsher punishment for ‘love jihad’, SP calls move ‘divisive’

Yogi Adityanth-led govt introduces Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Assembly

New Delhi: The Yogi Adityanath-led government introduced the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Assembly, which proposes harsher punishment, leading up to life imprisonment in ‘love jihad‘ cases. The proposed amendments have been welcomed by the BJP as a step in the right direction while the Samajwadi Party has termed it a ‘divisive’ move, aimed at creating ‘animosity’ in society.

UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya who reached the Assembly said that the legislation should be welcomed as this would act as a ‘deterrent’ against such practices. BJP leader Mohsin Raza said that the law, when amended, will help greatly in tackling illegal religious conversions as many ‘love jihad’ cases have emerged where impersonators marry a girl by hiding their identity and then force her to convert.

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“If any impersonator plays with the life of your daughter, why shouldn’t the culprit be held accountable? If an imposter marries any girl by hiding his identity and with malicious intent, why can’t such people be brought to book,” asked the BJP leader.

Samajwadi Party, on the other hand, slammed the Yogi Adityanath government for brining amendments in the existing laws regarding ‘love jihad’ and said that it nothing but negative politics and motivated by the BJP’s ‘aversion’ towards a particular community.

SP leader Fakhrul Hasan Chand in a video message said, “UP has already a law on love jihad. If someone traps someone in his/her love trap with some motive, then there is a law for it but the BJP only wants to do negative politics. It does not want to do anything about unemployment and paper leak.”

UP BJP leader Mohsin Raza also hit out at the Opposition parties for “smelling a conspiracy” in the proposed law. “A strict regulation is required to put an end to such practises. The BJP believes in ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas.’ It’s unfortunate that the Opposition finds it communal and discriminatory. Their opposition to the ordinance is driven by their appeasement policy towards a certain religion,” Mohsin Raza pointed out.

As per the existing law, the punishment for such cases of an imposter marrying someone with a concealed identity ranges from one to ten years while religious conversions done only for marriage are held invalid. When the ‘revised’ law comes into force, the guilty will be subjected to life imprisonment. The amendment is likely to be passed in the Assembly by voice vote on August 2, as per reports.