Karnataka will introduce law to ban conversion for marriage: Minister

After BJP-ruled states Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka has joined the chorus against “love jihad”. On Tuesday (November 3), Karnataka Tourism Minister and BJP national general secretary C T Ravi said the state will legislate a law that will ban religious conversions intended to get married.

Ravi tweeted: “On the lines of Allahabad High Court’s order, Karnataka will enact a law banning religious conversions for the sake of marriage. We will not remain silent when Jihadis strip the dignity of our sisters.” He said any one involved in acts of conversion would face severe and swift punishment.

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The Allahabad High Court held that religious conversion for the sake of marriage was illegal, while dismissing a plea by a couple in Uttar Pradesh who had approached it to direct the police and the woman’s father not to interfere in their marital life.

Right wing groups have been agitating against “love jihad” after a 20-year-old girl, a final year student, was killed by a stalker, Touseef, in Faridabad, Haryana. The girl was killed as she had rejected her former classmate’s marriage proposal. The victim’s family claimed  he was pressuring her to get married and change her religion.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and home minister Anil Vij said they were contemplating “legal provisions” against incidents of “love jihad”. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, also said he was planning to introduce a new law to counter “love jihad.”

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Adityanath also cited the Allahabad High Court judgment and said at a meeting in Jaunpur, UP, on October 31:  “Those who conceal names and play with the honour of sisters and daughters, mend your ways or be prepared for your final journey.”