UP Court Finds ‘Love Jihad’ A Threat To National Unity

A local court in UP has observed that the concept of “love jihad” aims to establish dominance by certain anti-social elements from a particular religion against India through demographic warfare and international conspiracy.

Additional District Judge (Fast Track Court) Ravi Kumar Diwakar stated that Hindu girls are being lured into “love” for the purpose of illegal conversions, creating conditions akin to those in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The judge expressed that illegal conversions pose a significant threat to the country’s unity, integrity, and sovereignty while presiding over a case involving marriage under false identities, relationships, and abortion.

He made these remarks while sentencing 25-year-old Mohammad Alim to life imprisonment for raping and threatening a student after falsely identifying himself.

Alim’s 65-year-old father was also sentenced to two years in prison for aiding in the crimes. The complainant, a 20-year-old woman pursuing a computer course, had been deceived by Alim, who posed as “Anand.”

The court ordered copies of the ruling to be sent to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, emphasizing that conversions are often conducted through psychological pressure and inducements like marriage and job offers.

The judge raised concerns about potential foreign funding linked to these activities and warned that failure to address this issue could lead to severe consequences.

The court noted that the Uttar Pradesh government enacted the Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021, specifically to combat illegal conversions associated with “love jihad.”

It highlighted that the Constitution grants every individual the fundamental right to practice and propagate their religion, and this freedom should not be compromised by illegal conversions.

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