Law against 'love jihad' during next session: Karnataka CM

The Karnataka government on Monday made it clear that the anti-cow slaughter bill will be introduced during the ongoing winter session of the Karnataka legislature, while a law against 'love jihad' will be taken up in the next session.

"Anti-cow slaughter, we had earlier (previous tenure) tabled it, but it was not given assent. I have asked the Law Minister to table it once again.. it will be tabled by tomorrow or the day after and we will get it approved," Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said.

Speaking to reporters at Sagara, he said, "Love jihad, we will think about it in the next assembly session. We will not be tabling it in this session. Anti-cow slaughter, we will do it now."

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Karnataka state executive on Saturday had adopted resolutions for the passage and implementation of the two legislations.

Stating that it has been decided at the government level to enact anti-cow slaughter legislation during this session, Revenue Minister R Ashoka too said, the bill against 'love jihad' will be taken up during the next session.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Cow is worshiped as god by farmers... there is a special place for cows in Indian culture, so to stop its killing we are beginning  this law in Karnataka. No love jihad during this session, in the next session we will remove love jihad."

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had said that the state will have a law against 'love jihad', and officials have been directed to gather information on an ordinance promulgated in Uttar Pradesh in this regard.

Uttar Pradesh had recently promulgated an ordinance against forcible or fraudulent religious conversions, which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and fine of up to Rs 50,000 under different categories.

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

Regarding the anti-cow slaughter legislation, a team of officials led by Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chavan had recently visited Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, where the law has been enacted, to study about its implementation, aimed at strengthening the bill to be introduced in Bengaluru during the winter session that began on Monday.

Chavan on Monday said he and his team have gathered information on implementation of anti-cow slaughter law in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, and after discussion with the CM and cabinet colleagues the bill will be introduced during this session.

The BJP in its manifesto ahead of the 2018 assembly election had promised prohibition of cow slaughter.

Despite resistance from the opposition, the then BJP government led by B S Yediyurappa in 2010 had got the controversial Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill passed.

It proposed to replace the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964.

The bill had widened the definition of 'cattle' and imposed a blanket ban on cattle slaughter, coupled with stringent penalty clauses for violation.

However, the Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah that came to power in 2013, withdrew the bill that was before the President for his assent.

After the BJP came back to power in the state, several party leaders have been making a pitch to re-enact the anti-cow slaughter law.

Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka assembly Siddaramaiah has said that the Congress will oppose if the government tries to bring in legislation against 'love jihad' and cow slaughter.