Will Study 'Love Jihad' Laws Of Other States Before Taking Any Decision: Maha Deputy CM Fadnavis

Fadnavis said that there was a "feeling" in the House regarding the Shraddha Walkar case that instances of "love jihad" were seen at a large scale in the state.

Will Study 'Love Jihad' Laws Of Other States Before Taking Any Decision: Maha Deputy CM Fadnavis

Source : PTI

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the state government will study laws on "love jihad" framed by other states and take an appropriate decision. 

According to the news agency PTI, Fadnavis said that there was a "feeling" in the House regarding the Shraddha Walkar case that instances of "love jihad" were seen at a large scale in the state. 

The Deputy CM made the statement while talking to reporters in the Maharashtra legislature complex on Tuesday. 

“We have assured (the House) that different states have laws on ‘love jihad’ and we will study them. Based on it, our government will take an appropriate decision so that no woman or girl suffers by any conspiracy,” said Fadnavis.  

He pressed that there is a demand for a tough law on "love jihad". 

Fadnavis further said that the state government is not opposed to inter-faith marriages. 

He added that the inter-faith committee will track and maintain records of inter-faith marriages, married couples, and also their families. 

“Shraddha Walkar's father said we didn't understand where to go and we could have saved her had someone facilitated a conversation with her. People do not know where to go in such a situation and the panel is (there) for facilitation,” he had told the House. 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs Atul Bhatkhalkar and Ashish Shelar raised the Shraddha Walkar killing case in the assembly, reported PTI. 

Referring to the withdrawal of the harassment complaint Shraddha had filed against her live-in partner Aftab Poonawala with Vasai police in November 2020, Bhatkhalkar said, "Was there political pressure on the police not to act when they received the complaint?"  

"When this happened, during that time, (Amravati pharmacist Umesh) Kolhe was killed and the Tablighi Jamaat's name cropped up in the charge sheet today,” he added. 

Speaking on the matter, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi said the Shradhha Walkar case is not a "love jihad" issue as it is being painted rather it was a social subject and of live-in relationship. 

"Anyone who is an adult can decide to live the way he/she wants. People are being misled by terming that incident as love jihad," he said. 

Azmi alleged that the interfaith marriage inspection committee has been purposely formed to divide Hindus and Muslims. 

Aftab Poonawala is accused of killing Shraddha Walkar in May this year in their Delhi flat. He allegedly chopped her body into multiple pieces and disposed of them over several weeks before he was arrested by the Delhi Police last month. 

 

(With PTI Inputs)