Maharashtra Govt's Move To Set Up 7-Member Committee On 'Love Jihad' Law Sparks Row; Opposition Calls It Attack On Personal Freedom

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government's move to set up a seven-member committee to explore legal options for a potential law against forced religious conversions and so-called ‘love jihad’ has sparked criticism.

Late on Friday night the government announced a panel led by state Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Verma, includes senior officials from key departments such as women and child welfare, minority affairs, law and judiciary, social justice, special assistance, and home affairs to go into the matter. The committee is to review similar laws in other states and suggest legal provisions to address complaints related to forced conversions and ‘love jihad.’

Nine states - Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh - have introduced laws concerning interfaith marriages. BJP leaders and various Hindu organizations in Maharashtra have also called for the implementation of a “Love Jihad” law. Following rising complaints about religious conversions in the state, then-Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised in the Assembly to introduce a law to address the issue.

'It's An Attack On Personal Freedom,' NCP-SP Leader Supriya Sule On The

On Saturday NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Supriya Sule called it an attack on personal freedom, saying, “Marriage and love are personal choices. Instead of focusing on real issues like economic challenges, the government is pushing this agenda.”

Samajwadi Party Leader Rais Shaikh Opposes The Move

Samajwadi Party leader and Bhiwandi (East) MLA Rais Shaikh also opposed the move, pointing out that there has been no statistical evidence to support claims of forced conversions and that the issue is being politicized. The government claimed that there were over one lakh cases of ‘love jihad’ in the state, but they were unable to find a single instance where a police case could be filed, Shaikh pointed out. “There is no data available to support such a claim, and I raised this issue in the assembly. The government is using this issue for political gain,” Shaikh said.

It may be recalled that on December 13, 2022, The Interfaith Marriage Family Coordination Committee was established by former Women and Child Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha after a series of protests by Hindutva organisations, which opposed interfaith marriages and labeled them as “love jihad.” At that time, Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh filed an RTI to find out how many complaints had been received. In response, he received information under the RTI that the committee has received only 402 complaints so far. These complaints involve not only two specific communities but also other communities.

According to Constitutional expert Ulhas Bapat, "the term “love jihad” is not mentioned in the Constitution. The Indian Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to marry according to their choice and to adopt any religion. Under Article 21, the right to personal liberty and privacy is protected, while Article 25 grants the right to freely practice, profess, and propagate any religion.

"Love jihad” is not a part of any legal concept or official law. However, BJP MLA Mangal Lodha defended the decision, claiming that “love jihad” cases are increasing. He said, “We all saw how Shraddha Walkar was brutally killed. There are many similar cases in Maharashtra. Whenever we try to stop ‘love jihad,’ the opposition protests.”