Yogi govt orders ordinance against rising 'love jihad' in Uttar Pradesh, 10 years rigorous sentence

New Delhi, 24 November 2020 Tuesday

Yogi Adityanath's government in Uttar Pradesh has passed an ordinance to curb the rising incidence of 'love jihad'. The ordinance was passed at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The Uttar Pradesh government had announced that it would enact a new law on love jihad to prevent marriages by offering bribes, threats or lures.

The Allahabad High Court said in a judgment that conversion just to get married would be illegal. CM Yogi said that the state government will bring a law with strict provisions in this regard and then the names of those who commit such acts will come true. With his announcement, there was a demand in other BJP-ruled states to enact laws against love jihad.

Siddharth Nath Singh, a minister in the UP government, said the ordinance carries a penalty of Rs 15,000 for conversion and imprisonment for one to five years. If it happens to SC-ST community minors and women, there will be a fine of Rs 25,000 and a penalty of 3-10 years.

In addition, another minister in the Yogi government, Mohsin Raza, had said in recent days that it would no longer be possible in UP to convert girls by deceiving them as part of a mission. This is a strong message to the jihadists who are trying to convert. Such people are fully prepared to be imprisoned. The first to talk about making a law on love jihad was said by CM Yogi while addressing an election rally in Deoria, UP.

The BJP-ruled states of Madhya Pradesh and Haryana will come under the law

It may be mentioned here that other BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh and Haryana are also preparing to bring such a law to curb the forcible conversion by Love Jihad. Madhya Pradesh has also talked of bringing a bill on love jihad. Home Minister Narottam Mishra said a bill on love jihad was being introduced in the next assembly session. There will be a provision of 5 years imprisonment for love jihad. So Haryana Home Minister Anil Vijay said that he would also bring a law to stop love jihad in the region.