UP Govt Proposes Life Imprisonment In 'Love Jihad' Law, SP Says 'BJP Only Wants To Do Negative Politics'
Uttar Pradesh government introduced the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion (Amendment) Bill in the Assembly on Monday, under which there will be life term for 'love jihad' in the state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Yogi Adityanth government on Monday tabled the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Assembly, proposing harsher punishment of lifeimprisonment in 'love jihad' cases. While the BJP welcomed the move, the opposition seemed displeased and called it a "divisive" move by BJP to engage in "negative politics".
Stressing that the existing provisions under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, are "insufficient", the Yogi government proposed amendments in the existing bill, including the increase in punishment from maximum ten years to a life term, making bail more difficult, and widening the ambit to allow anyone to register a complaint in connection with the related cases in the state.
The amendments proposed by the UP government have been welcomed by the BJP, saying that the move was a step taken in the right direction. However, the Samajwadi Party dubbed the move "divisive" that is aimed at creating "animosity" in the society, news agency IANS reported.
UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya told reporters as he reached the Assembly on Tuesday morning, that the proposed amendments should be welcomed as this would act as a "deterrent" against such practices.
BJP leader Mohsin Raza stated that the the amendment of the law, would help in tackling illegal religious conversions as there has been a surge in cases of 'love jihad' where impersonators hide their identity to marry a girl and then force her to convert.
The BJP leader asked: "If any impersonator plays with the life of your daughter, why shouldn't the culprit be held accountable? If an imposter marries any girl by hiding his identity and with malicious intent, why can't such people be brought to book."
'BJP Only Wants To Do Negative Politics': SP
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party, on the other hand, hit out at the Yogi Adityanath-led government for proposing amendments in the existing laws concerning 'love jihad'. The party stated that the UP government's bid to make the law more stringent is nothing but negative politics, which is motivated by the saffron party's "aversion" towards a particular community, IANS reported.
In a video message posted on X, Samajwadi Party leader Fakhrul Hasan Chand said: "UP has already a law on love jihad. If someone traps someone in his/her love trap with some motive, then there is a law for it but the BJP only wants to do negative politics. It does not want to do anything about unemployment and paper leak."
"Samajwadi Party understands that these are diversionary issues. These will not do any good to the people," the SP leader added.
UP BJP leader Mohsin Raza also slammed the Opposition parties for "smelling a conspiracy" in the proposed law.
"A strict regulation is required to put an end to such practises. The BJP believes in 'sabka saath, sabka vikas.' It's unfortunate that the Opposition finds it communal and discriminatory. Their opposition to the ordinance is driven by their appeasement policy towards a certain religion," Mohsin Raza said.
As per the existing law, the punishment for 'love jihad' cases, wherein an imposter marries someone with a concealed identity, was from one to ten years. Religious conversions done only for marriage are held invalid under this law.
The amendment is likely to be passed in the Assembly on August 2 by voice vote, as per reports.
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