New Delhi: Right-wing group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) released a list of 400 alleged ‘love jihad cases’ Thursday, renewing their demand for a central law that would prevent instances of Muslim men marrying non-Muslim girls with the sole aim of religious conversion.
VHP Joint Secretary Surendra Jain said Thursday that ‘love jihad’ was the most heinous, cruel and inhuman of the various forms of jihad. “There is a strong need for a strict central law to prevent love jihad and illegal conversions, which create social discontent and threats to national security,” Jain added.
The VHP’s list and demand for a central law came in the wake of the death of Maharashtra girl Shraddha Walker, who was killed by her live-in boyfriend Aftab Amin Poonawala in May. Poonawala, 28, then chopped her body into 35 pieces.
The VHP’s list compiled cases from 2009 to 2022 which were published in the media, including that of Walkar.
The group has been long raucuous about “love jihad”, and Jain said Thursday, that its worst form manifested in Shraddha Walkar’s murder.
“Churches of Kerala and Karnataka say 10,000 Christian girls have been victims of love jihad, while 2,000 girls have gone missing in Hyderabad. The high court has sought an explanation about these girls from the state government. Peace-loving states like Himachal and Ladakh are also angry after being troubled by love jihad. In Kerala, the church has also alleged that girls are being trapped and sent to Syria and Afghanistan,” the VHP leader alleged.
Jain further said that the Kerala High Court in 2010 had described love jihad as the most gruesome form of religious conversion.
“In the case of Kerala’s Hadiya, it became clear that terrorist organisations like the PFI paid eminent lawyers crores of rupees to defend Jihadis. For this, they get a huge amount of money from abroad. Because of the terrorist nexus of illegal conversion and love jihad and its international nature, this phenomenon cannot be stopped by enacting laws only in a few states. A nationwide resolution is necessary, which can be expressed only through a strong national law,” he added.
Stressing on the role of social organisations to counter “love jihad”, another VHP leader said helpline numbers were launched by the Bajrang Dal after the “sir tan se juda” gang became very active.
It received more than 13,000 calls, the VHP said.
“Out of these, 6,285 were only for information, about 5,605 were resolved and 9,783 inquired how to join the Bajrang Dal,” said Jain.
The VHP will also launch a nationwide public awareness campaign against religious conversion, leader said.
While the Bajrang Dal will take out “Shaurya Yatras” in every block from 1 to 10 December, the VHP will start “Dharma Raksha Abhiyan” from 21 to 31 December this year. “Through the Durga Vahini (VHP’s women’s wing), a deterrent force will be created for spreading awareness among girls,” added the leader.
Also read: ‘Religious frenzy causes inhuman behaviour’: Hindu Right press links Shraddha murder to ‘love jihad’