CM Chouhan Says ‘Love Jihad’ Law Is ‘Beti Bachao’ Drive

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020 (the bill against love jihad) is the state’s Beti Bachao Abhiyan.

“It is easy to mislead young girls with malicious intent. Later, their life becomes hell. Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020 is our beti bachao abhiyan,” said the Chief Minster while interacting with media in Bhopal.

He added the state government will give the final shape to the bill today.

Notably, Chouhan is scheduled to chair a high-level meeting on Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020 in Bhopal today.

Madhya Pradesh government has proposed a maximum punishment of 10 years for so-called ‘Love Jihad’-related offences, in its new ordinance. With this, the state government has doubled the jail term in its proposed Freedom of Religion Bill 2020. It had earlier proposed a five-year jail term.

Under this new proposed ordinance, there will be a provision of punishment of up to 5 years for a religious leader, Qazi or Maulvi who has preformed religious conversion before submitting an application. The complaint of conversion and forced marriage can be made by the victim, parents, family or guardian.

The Union Home Ministry on February 4 this year clarified that the term ‘love jihad’ is not defined under the existing laws and no such case has been reported so far. No such case was reported by any of the central agencies yet.

However, two cases from Kerala involving inter-faith marriages have been investigated by the National Investigation Agency, according to the Home Ministry. (ANI)