K'taka govt plans bill prohibiting 'love jihad,' says minister

Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka prepares to table the anti-conversion Bill during the ongoing winter session of the legislature, state's energy minister V Sunil Kumar on Monday said that a law prohibiting 'love jihad' will also be introduced in the days to come.

'Love jihad' is a term generally used by right wing activists to refer to the alleged campaign of forcing Hindu girls to convert in the guise of love and marriage.

"Some organisations publicly claim that they don't indulge in religious conversion and it is not their intention, then why are they opposed to anti-conversion law? On one side they say they don't do such things and on the other side they oppose (the bill), they have ambiguity, not us," Kumar said in response to a question.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the winter session of Karnataka legislature that began on Monday in the border district of Belagavi, he said, "We had been stating from the beginning that the BJP government will bring in anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion law, we are committed to it. I will go a step ahead and say that in the days to come we will bring a law against love jihad."

The government had earlier enacted the anti-cow slaughter law in the state; it is now preparing to table the anti-conversion Bill during the ongoing winter session. 

Regarding a law against 'love jihad', the government had earlier this year said that officials have been directed to gather information on an ordinance promulgated in Uttar Pradesh in this regard.

Defending the proposed anti-conversion Bill, the minister said, religious conversions are taking place in a big way targeting poor and weaker sections, either by force or through inducements, and hence it was considered necessary to bring in a law to stop such activities.

"Let the Congress say, as to why they are opposed to it, we are ready to debate and respond," he said, adding that the proposed bill is keeping in mind the entire society and not targeted at any particular religion or community.