RSS to hold two-day meet to discuss 'Love Jihad' from today, Mohan Bhagwat to participate

In light of the announcement made by several states to come up with a law against Love Jihad, RSS is said to hold a brainstorming meeting on Sunday over the issue of Love Jihad across the country. Sources have stated that the two-day meeting of the All India Executive Board of Eastern UP region of RSS is said to begin in Prayagraj from Sunday onwards. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat along with union officials is also said to participate in the meet that will discuss the various aspects of Love Jihad and the ways to tackle and curb such incidents in the future, sources added.

Apart from love jihad, various other issues such as environment and climate change, water conservation, social harmony, use of polythene will also be discussed in the two-day meet.

Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh mulling law

This development comes after the Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh government decided to bring a law against the issue of Love Jihad.

Last week, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, after a meeting with senior officials, said that a committee will be set up to draft a "strict" law against 'love jihad'. He also said that Haryana will study the laws made by other states in this regard. The Home Minister, according to the statement, said that "with the enactment of this law, strict action will be taken against any person who is found indulging in religious conversion by pressuring, tempting someone or is involved in any kind of conspiracy or tries to do so in the name of love".

Earlier this month, Vij had told the Haryana Assembly that the state government is considering a law against 'love jihad' and has sought information from Himachal Pradesh, which had passed a bill on the issue. The Himachal Pradesh Assembly had last year passed a bill against conversion by force, inducement or through marriages solemnised for the "sole purpose" of adopting a new religion.

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Similarly, the Madhya Pradesh government is planning to introduce Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020 in the next session of the state Assembly in view of the rising incidents of 'love jihad', state Home Minister Narottam Mishra said on Tuesday. The bill proposes rigorous imprisonment for the period of five years for luring a person through fraud and forcing marriage by religious conversion, he told reporters and added that such offence will be non-bailable.

Also, the Home Department of Uttar Pradesh on Friday said that a strict law against 'Love Jihad' will soon be brought in the state and the department has sent a proposal to the Department of Law. This announcement came a day after the announcement by Haryana and Madhya Pradesh government.

Several states mulling the law against 'Love Jihad' is a result of the Ballabhgarh incident, where a 21-year-old student was shot at point-blank in broad daylight outside her college by her alleged stalker Tausif after he failed to abduct her. The incident had sent shockwaves across the nation and several protests were held in Haryana after the barbaric crime, which led to Haryana government mulling on bringing a law against 'Love Jihad'.

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