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Love Jihad
The influential Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala on Wednesday expressed support for BJP leader P C George, who is facing criticism from the Youth Congress and key Congress ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), over his claim that 400 girls have been lost to 'love jihad' in Meenachil Taluk alone. In a statement, the Syro-Malabar Church Public Affairs Commission said that George's remarks regarding "drug trafficking, love traps, and terrorist activities" at a conference organised in Pala under the leadership of the Temperance Commission of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) were based on facts. It urged the central and state governments to conduct "a high-level investigation" into the issues raised by George, ensuring the privacy and security of the victims and their families. The commission also condemned attempts to create controversy over his statements and interpret them in a religious context, calling such efforts regrettable. It noted that reports about drugs, love
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said his government will soon introduce a law for life imprisonment in cases of love jihad'. Speaking at the state BJP executive meet here, he said, We spoke about love jihad' during the elections. Soon, we will bring a law, which will award life imprisonment in such cases. Sarma also said a new domicile policy will be introduced soon, under which only those born in Assam will be eligible for state government jobs. He maintained that indigenous people have received priority in the one lakh government jobs provided as per a pre-poll promise, which will be evident when the complete list is published. The CM said the Assam government has also taken a decision regarding the sale of land between Hindus and Muslims. Sarma said though the government cannot prevent such a transaction, it has made it mandatory to take consent of the chief minister before going ahead.
The BJP's sterling performance in Kerala, winning from Thrissur and increasing its vote share in many constituencies in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, clearly indicates a shift in the political landscape of the southern state, say noted political analysts. Besides actor-politician Suresh Gopi winning from Thrissur, the BJP-led NDA saw its vote share rise from over 15 per cent in 2019 to nearly 20 per cent now. Analysts indicate that Kerala's political landscape is evolving from a traditionally bipolar contest dominated by Congress-led UDF and CPI(M)-led LDF to a tripolar scenario. This shift, which has been gradually happening since the 2011 Assembly elections, is now becoming more evident. The 2024 Parliamentary elections in Kerala confirm this shift, as NDA made major inroads into the electorate in Kerala, garnering nearly 20 per cent vote share in many constituencies they contested in, they said. According to them, constituencies like Thrissur, which NDA won, and the increased vote
A bill to ban polygamy will be introduced in the next session of the Assam assembly to be held in February, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said here on Friday. The bill has been formulated after months of consultations with various individuals and organisations. Talking to reporters, Sarma said, "The bill to ban polygamy will be placed on the floor of the Assam assembly which will commence from February 4." The chief minister had earlier said that some points would be incorporated in the bill with the objective to stop "Love Jihad" in the state. Officials said that the state government had received as many as 149 suggestions in response to a public notice seeking feedback on the proposed law to ban the practice of marrying multiple times. Out of these, 146 suggestions were in favour of the bill, indicating strong public support, they said. Three organisations have expressed their opposition to the bill. The state government had issued a notice on August 21 inviting publ
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the state government was thinking about introducing a law to curb "love jihad" but will study similar legislations in other states before taking a decision. Love jihad is a term used by right-wing activists and outfits to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to convert Hindu women to Islam through marriage. "Many cases have come up of girls getting married and converting. There is demand from all corners to make a law against this. Earlier, I had made an announcement in the House also. Accordingly, study of laws in various states is on and then the decision about it in Maharashtra will be taken, Fadnavis said. Speaking about the Supreme Court on Friday staying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case related to a remark on the Modi surname, Fadnavis made a veiled attack on the opposition party by saying "some people think if the Supreme Court rules in their favour, then it (decision) is good
Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary on Friday said that all alleged love jihad' cases will be probed in the state if his party is voted to power in the 2025 assembly elections. Love jihad' is a term used by right-wing activists to allege a ploy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into religious conversion through marriage. If voted to power in 2025, we will probe all love jihad cases. Not only this, we will ban cow slaughter in the state, Choudhary said while addressing a public meeting here. Those who try to create disturbances will be dealt with strictly and they will be sent behind the bar as it is happening in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, he said. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's party, the JD(U), will face a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections next year and the 2025 Bihar assembly polls, the BJP leader claimed. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has changed in the last nine years. Democracy has been strengthened... India is touching new heights on
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday said that if required, the existing state law against "Love Jihad" would be made stronger in order to curb the incidents wherein men marry tribal women with the motive of grabbing their land. He was addressing a gathering of tribal people here on the death anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Tantya Bhil. Chouhan was referring to the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021, which prohibits conversion from one religion to another by use of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, any other fraudulent means, allurement, or promise of marriage. "If needed, the law regarding 'Love Jihad' will be made stronger so that none of the culprits go unpunished. It has been seen that some people marry tribal girls and their aim is to grab their property. The religious freedom act will be made stronger to marriages with a tribal woman for grabbing the land of her family. It will stop Love Jihad aimed at grabbing their