Love jihad, conversion will rise if Cong comes to power: Himanta in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Oct 18 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress saying the grand old party should not teach secularism to the BJP as ‘love jihad’, “conversion” and “murder of Hindus” cannot be justified under its garb.

Addressing a public rally in Kawardha assembly constituency of poll-bound Chhattisgarh, he also targeted the Bhupesh Baghel government claiming that incidents of love jihad and conversion were on the rise in the state.

If the Congress is brought to power, such issues will reach the next level, he said.

The rally was held ahead of the filing of the nomination of BJP candidate Vijay Sharma in Kawardha.

“Love Jihad started during the Congress rule in the country. Tribals in Assam and Chhattisgarh are encouraged daily to get converted (to Christianity). When people raise voices against the act (in Chhattisgarh), Bhupesh Baghel says he is secular,” he said.

Congress-governed Chhattisgarh will go to polls in two phases on November 7 and November 17. Counting of votes will done on December 3.

“Is killing Hindus your concept of secularism? This country belongs to Hindus and it will continue to be of Hindus. Do not teach us the language of secularism,” Sarma said.

Building a masjid for Babar after demolishing the Ram temple is not called secularism, he claimed. “Religious conversion is not called secularism. Handing over the land of Mata Kaushalya to Akbar is not secularism. Our concept of secularism has been given by Baba Saheb Ambedkar and our Hindu culture. We know its concept. Secularism does not mean love jihad,” he said.

Love jihad is a term used by right-wing activists and outfits to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to convert Hindu women to Islam through marriage.

The BJP leader said he tells Muslims in Assam to marry women from their community on the grounds that if they marry Hindu females then what will happen to Muslim women.

“In December, I am going to enact a law to ban polygamy in Assam,” he said.

According to Sarma, he recently said in Rajasthan that the Ashok Gehlot government did not do anything after the murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal and if something like that had happened in the eastern state there would have been “retaliation within five minutes”.

“If a similar incident had happened in any of the BJP-ruled states, the government concerned would have settled everything within five minutes. But the Congress does not do anything and keeps on ranting about secularism. Is secularism only for looting Hindus,” he said.

He accused the Congress of worshipping Babar (referring to Muslim invaders) and not taking steps to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

“We had said that we would build Ram temple after coming to power (at the Centre) and in January the temple construction will be completed... Congress remained in power for 60 years but they did nothing for building Ram temple as they always worshiped Babar.

"These people belong to Babar, not to Lord Sri Ram. Those who belong to Lord Shri Ram, they fulfil their promises. Modi fulfilled all his promises made to the people,” he added.

Targeting the Congress government for not fulfilling its promise of prohibition, Sarma said the Bhupesh Baghel government has become well-known in the country for “selling liquor”.

He urged people to vote for BJP nominee Vijay Sharma and “bid farewell to Akbar to save Chhattisgarh from love jihad and religious conversion”.

Congress has re-nominated its senior leader and state minister Mohammad Akbar from the Kawardha seat.

Assam has been the target of religious conversions and love jihad and is still struggling with these issues, Sarma said.

“The two issues… religious conversion and love for Akbar in Bhupesh Baghel government will make Chhattisgarh an Assam…This is the beginning and if they are again elected to power, their confidence will enhance and the next level will begin in the state,” he added. PTI TKP NR