Published 19:02 IST, November 17th 2020
Haryana forms panel to draft law against 'Love Jihad'; HM, DGP attend high-level meeting
Republic Media Network has learnt that the Haryana Government along with legal experts is preparing a rough draft of the law during the meeting.
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The Haryana Government on Tuesday constituted a Committee for drafting a law against 'Love jihad', following the horrific death of a 21-year-old student in Ballabgarh. A high-level meeting headed by Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij and Haryana DGP Manoj Yadav was held in the state on Tuesday evening along with legal experts to prepare a rough draft of the proposed law.
Imprisonment details, time-bound investigation, and other crucial details were also discussed during the meeting. As per sources, the Committee will discuss the contents of the law with other states that are also mulling on rolling out a similar 'Love Jihad' Act.
States mulling laws against 'Love Jihad'
Earlier today, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra confirmed that the state government would table a bill against 'love jihad' in the next Assembly session. According to Mishra, the Freedom of Religion Bill, 2020 will provide for five years of rigorous imprisonment and such crimes will be declared a cognizable and non-bailable offence. Recently, UP CM Yogi Adityanath had said that his government would come out with a law to deal with "love jihad".
These decisions follow the murder of a 21-year-old woman outside her college in Haryana's Ballabgarh by her alleged stalker Tausif, who shot her in broad-daylight after he failed to abduct her. The victim's family has alleged that the assailant was forcing Nikita to convert to Islam in order to marry her. Speaking to the media, Nikita's father had contended that his daughter could have been saved if a law against love jihad was enacted earlier.
'Love Jihad' is a term referring to an alleged campaign by religious extremists to convert women of other faiths under the pretext of love. The Allahabad High Court had recently said in a case that conversion just for the sake of marriage is not valid. The court made the remark while dismissing a plea by a newly married couple.
19:02 IST, November 17th 2020