According to news agency ANI, Palas the bishop Joseph Kallarangatti has stated that means such as “love jihad” and “narcotic jihad” were being used as war tactics rather than using weapons and destroying others.
Addressing the devotees, the Christian priest said, “They have realized that in a country like India, it is not easy to take up arms and destroy others, they are using other means. Their aim is to promote their religion and Non-Muslims have to be eliminated. They use ‘love jihad‘ and ‘Narcotic Jihad’.
They have realized that in a country like India it is not easy to take up arms and destroy others, they are using other… https://t.co/H7uUAvkNYa
— ANI (@ANI) 163187464000
Joseph Kallarangat was further quoted as saying that “Jihadis, by love or other means, abuse women of other religions, terrorist activities or use for economic gain”.
Bishop continued: “Those who are trying to prove that there is no ‘love jihad’ are trying to pretend ignorance. It’s not just love marriage, it’s a strategy of war.”
These comments are likely to come in support of the BJP’s allegation that ‘love jihad’ is being used to convert women of other religions to Islam.
In November last year, the Yogi Adityanath government had issued an ordinance against illegal conversions. The state assembly on February 24 passed the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Conversion Bill, 2021, aimed at preventing religious conversion through marriage fraud or any other unfair means.
The bill sought to change the ordinance that imposed imprisonment of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 50,000 for violators.
Under the bill, a marriage would be declared “null and void” if the conversion is for that purpose only, and those who wish to change their religion after marriage need to apply to the district magistrate.
The Bill primarily envisages that no person may, directly or indirectly, by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or any fraudulent means or by marriage or conversion of any person from one religion to another. shall not, or instigate, persuade or conspire to such conversion to any person.
The onus of proving that there was no forced conversion will be on the person accused of the Act and the convert.
According to the Bill, the aggrieved person, his parents, brother, sister or any other person who is related to him by blood, marriage or adoption, can file an FIR in respect of such conversion.
BJP leaders had said the law was intended to counter alleged attempts to convert Hindu women to Islam under the guise of marriage, which right-wing Hindu activists call “love jihad”.
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