Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on Saturday that the state administration is considering enacting laws to combat "love jihad," but would research comparable legislation in other states first, news agency PTI reported. Right-wing activists and organisations use the phrase "love jihad" to suggest a plan by Muslim males to convert Hindu women to Islam through marriage.
“Many cases have come up of girls getting married and converting. There is demand from all corners to make a law against this. Earlier, I had made an announcement in the House also. Accordingly, study of laws in various states is on and then the decision about it in Maharashtra will be taken,” Fadnavis was quoted by PTI in its report.
Fadnavis made a veiled attack on the opposition party in response to the Supreme Court's decision on Friday to stay Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case related to a remark on the Modi surname, saying "some people think if the Supreme Court rules in their favour, then it (decision) is good or else it is bad."
Such people, according to a top Bharatiya Janata Party politician, are attempting to demolish the institutions established by the Indian Constitution.
“The Supreme Court has said that the statement made by Gandhi was not appropriate. The Congress and some parties have been praising the SC verdict,” he said.
He was speaking to media after attending the Maharashtra Police Academy's passing-out parade. In the Eknath Shinde government, Fadnavis is in charge of the Home ministry.
Fadnavis stated that the state government will soon hire 18,000 police officers, and that the force will get 650-700 sub inspectors by September, in addition to the 500 PSIs who graduated from the MPA throughout the day.
“We are also creating the biggest cyber platform in the country to bring together banking, non-banking, other financial institutions and police to eradicate online crimes,” he said.
He also chastised Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray for referring to the BJP as "Maharashtradweshi" (one who despises Maharashtra) in relation to a White Paper that gave the state government a clean chit on projects supposedly departing the state and establishing bases elsewhere.
“I was under the impression Aaditya Thackeray will speak after studying the issue but he has kept his eyes shut. What is the use of responding to someone who opposes just for the sake of opposition,” the deputy CM said.