What Is Love Jihad? Facts about the Love Jihad Law

 

Love Jihad (Romeo Jihad) is an Islamophobic conspiracy theory popular in India and other non-Muslim countries. According to this theory, Muslim men target women from non-Muslim communities in order to convert them to Islam.

When a person who believes in a particular religion traps girls of other religions in the trap of his love, either through seduction or marriage, this is referred to as Love Jihad.

The topic of Love Jihad is currently being discussed a lot. In fact, cases of Love Jihad are on the rise in the country.

Many state governments have planned to implement tough laws against it in light of the increasing number of cases.

Uttar Pradesh may soon pass a law prohibiting love jihad.

Aside from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh are working on legislation to prohibit love jihad.

Madhya Pradesh has also prepared an outline of the law.

Facts about Love Jihad Law:

·        Marriage only with the goal of converting a girl's religion will be declared void, with a jail term of up to ten years.

·        Forced religious conversion will be punished by a 1–5 year prison sentence and a Rs 15,000 fine. If the woman is a minor or belongs to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, the sentence will be between 3 and 10 years in prison, with a fine of up to Rs 25,000.

·        Mass conversions will be punishable by 3-10 years in prison and a Rs 50,000 fine for the organizations that carry them out.

·        If a person wishes to change their religion after marriage, they must apply to the District Magistrate two months in advance.

What differs this from other anti-conversion laws?

Though anti-conversion laws have occurred in India since 1967, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh were the first to provide a marriage clause.

 The Freedom of Religion Act of Uttarakhand, 2018, prohibits conversion through misrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, allurement, or marriage.

It is a non-bailable offence with punishments ranging from one to five years in jail and a fine. In 2019, Himachal Pradesh passed a similar policy.

 Conversion to marriage was prohibited.

A girl was brutally murdered in Ballabhgarh, Haryana, under the guise of love jihad, bringing the issue of love jihad to the forefront.

Many states have since made plans to enact legislation on the subject. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Karnataka have all announced plans to pass legislation in this area.

 

Allegations of 'Love Jihad' in the Past

The Struggle of a Hindu Family to Take back Their Daughter from the 'Love Jihad' Trap from Chhattisgarh

Last year, an 18-year-old Hindu woman decided to get married with a Muslim man in Chhattisgarh's Bhilai district. Because she was a major, the local court allowed her to go with the man despite her parents' complaint that he had "kidnapped" her.

After her decision, her father abandoned her, but they rebuilt contact a few months later.

They never accepted the relationship, claiming that the man is a criminal with prior police cases against him, and that he is no match for their family in terms of financial and social standing.

Furthermore, the man is Muslim, which is an unwelcome alliance for the woman's family.

you can also check here: Hariyana Love Jihad Case

Rakhi savant Told Her Marriage Love Jihad???

In India, a boy meets a girl, proposes to her, and is accused of jihad.

Sagar, 22, is from India's Hindu majority, and Mohammed Shameem, 26, is Muslim.

According to activists who assist them, they are among hundreds, if not thousands, of interfaith couples who have crossed state lines in recent months to try to marry far from home.

The couples are fleeing laws that make "illegal" religious conversion in the context of marriage illegal.

Tough Hindu conservatives have dubbed it "love jihad," a conspiracy theory in which Muslim men woo Hindu women in order to convert them to Islam.

This is denied by Muslim leaders. The theory has been rejected by India's Supreme Court.

However, more than half of India's 29 states have passed legislation prohibiting the use of marriage to force someone to convert.

In a country where most marriages are arranged by families, Sagar and Shameem's is a love marriage.

Their parents were initially opposed. Their different religions make them even more unique.

 In today's India, where Hindu conservatives rule, it not only complicates their wedding plans, but also leaves them isolated and vulnerable to extremist attacks.

References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_jihad