'Love Jihad' word manufactured by BJP to divide country: Rajasthan CM Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday alleged that "Love Jihad" is a word manufactured by the Bhratiya Janata Party (BJP) to divide the nation and disturb communal harmony.

Taking to Twitter, he said that marriage is a personal decision and the BJP is putting curbs on it.

"Love Jihad is a word manufactured by the BJP to divide the nation and disturb communal harmony. Marriage is a matter of personal liberty, bringing a law to curb it is completely unconstitutional and it will not stand in any court of law. Jihad has no place in love," Gehlot tweeted.

"They are creating an environment in the nation where consenting adults would be at the mercy of state power. Marriage is a personal decision and they are putting curbs on it, which is like snatching away personal liberty," he said in another tweet.

Gehlot said it seemed to be a "ploy to disrupt communal harmony, fuel social conflict and disregard constitutional provisions like the state not discriminating against citizens on any ground".

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said his government will bring a strict law to curb "love jihad" and forcible religious conversion, citing an Allahabad High Court order.

Responding to a query in Lok Sabha in February this year, the Union Home Ministry had clarified the term 'love jihad' is not defined under the existing laws and no such case has been reported so far.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had already announced that the state government will bring a Bill against 'love jihad' in the next Assembly session that will have the provision of five years of rigorous imprisonment.

(ANI)

Also Read: VHP demands law to stop 'love jihad', condemns Ballabgarh incident