BJP vows to enact law against 'Love Jihad' in Kerala if voted to power in Assembly polls

In a big development, BJP has to promised to bring in a law against 'Love Jihad' in the state if the NDA is voted to power in the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls. Addressing the media on February 7, Kerala BJP president K Surendran stressed that 'Love Jihad' is a serious issue. Claiming that even Christian community leaders have raised apprehensions about forced conversions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he accused the ruling Left Democratic Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front of maintaining silence over the issue. In 2010, the then Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan had raised alarm about 'Love Jihad' by blaming PFI and some other organisations of planning to turn the state into a Muslim-majority state by doling out money.

Moreover, Surendran specified that the anti-Love Jihad law in Kerala would be based on the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020. Under this ordinance promulgated on November 28, 2020, an individual who forcefully marries a girl for the sheer purpose of converting her religion can face punishment up to 10 years in jail. While MP has also promulgated a similar Ordinance, BJP-led governments in Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka and Assam have also announced their intention to pass laws against forced religious conversions.

Read: In First Case Under 'Love-Jihad' Law, Man Arrested In Madhya Pradesh's Barwani Dist

Centre rules out anti-conversion law

The Ministry of Home Affairs on February 2 made it clear that the Centre is not planning to bring an anti-conversion legislation to curb interfaith marriages. MoS Home G Kishan Reddy made this revelation in response to an unstarred question by 5 Lok Sabha MPs- Mohammad Jawed, Anto Antony, TN Prathapan, K Sudhakaran and A Challakumar. This assumes significance as some BJP-ruled states have resolved to outlaw 'Love Jihad' and amended their anti-conversion laws to prohibit religious conversion by marriage. Maintaining that offences related to religious conversion are the concern of the respective state governments, Reddy noted that the law enforcement agencies take requisite action as per the existing law. 

Union MoS G Kishan Reddy informed the Lok Sabha, "'Public Order’ and ‘Police’ are State subjects as per the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. Hence prevention, detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of offences related to religious conversions are primarily the concerns of the State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations. Action is taken as per existing laws by the law enforcing agencies whenever instances of violation come to notice." 

Read: SC Refuses To Entertain UP Govt's Plea Seeking Transfer Of Anti-Love Jihad Ordinance Pleas