UP ‘love jihad’ law completes one month: 14 cases, 49 in jail

Monday marked one month since the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh passed a new anti-conversion law to check what it calls “love jihad”. Since the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, came into effect on November 28, records show that the UP Police has registered 14 cases and made 51 arrests, of whom 49 are in jail.

UP Love Jihad:

Of these 14 cases, 13 involve Hindu women allegedly pressured to convert to Islam. In only two cases is the complainant the woman concerned herself — in the remaining 12, the complainants are her relatives.

In two of them, Hindu right-wing activists intervened, holding protests at the police station. Also, In all cases but one, the woman involved is an adult. In eight cases, the couple are said to have been either friends or in a ‘relationship’; while one couple claim to be married.

One case involves alleged illegal conversion to Christianity, registered against three people in Azamgarh.

Woman ‘victim’ complainant in only two

In two cases, the women, both married to other people, have refused to have their statements recorded, citing “social pressure”. In two others, women have levelled rape charges. Three of the women allegedly pressured for conversion are Dalits

While Bijnor district has seen three cases and Shahjahanpur two, others have been reported from Bareilly, Muzaffarnagar, Mau, Sitapur, Hardoi, Etah, Kannauj, Azamgarh and Moradabad districts. In one case, the police have been unable to find the woman involved.

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