'Ram Naam Satya Journey Will Start...': UP CM Yogi Adityanath's Stern Warning Against 'Love Jihad'

Welcoming the Allahabad HC ruling that declared the conversion for the sole purpose of marriage as null and void, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said his government would deal with love jihad with a firm hand.

Jaunpur / Deoria: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday issued a stern warning against ‘love jihad’ and stated that his government in the state is working to bring a strict law to curb such incidents. Welcoming the Allahabad High Court ruling that declared the conversion for the sole purpose of marriage as null and void, Adityanath also said that UP government would deal with love jihad with a firm hand. If the people do not stop playing with honours of daughters and sisters by concealing their identities, "the Ram Naam Satya journey will start", said the firebrand leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party. While addressing a rally for the November 3 byelections for the Malhani assembly seat in Jaunpur and that of Deoria, Adityanath referred to a High Court verdict which stated that the conversion should not be resorted to solely for the marriage and it should not be given validity.

He also made it clear that his government is also taking a decision to check love jihad sternly. "We will bring an effective law. It is my warning to those who play with the honour and dignity of sisters and daughters by hiding their real names and identities, if they do not mend their ways, the Ram Naam Satya journey will start," he added. Referring to the Mission Shakti programme of his government, the chief minister said the programme is meant to ensure the safety, security and honour of women, but if anyone still dares to indulge in any misadventure, the Operation Shakti is underway. Further during his speech, UP CM also declared that the court's verdict will be followed and the honour and dignity of women will be ensured. The anti-conversion laws in various states seek to prevent any person from converting or attempting to convert, either directly or otherwise, another person through 'forcible' or 'fraudulent' means, or by 'allurement' or 'inducement'. At present, eight states have anti-conversion laws -- Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand. UP government has set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe 11 cases of 'love jihad' in Kanpur.