Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while citing a day-old order by the Allahabad High Court on religious conversions for marriages, laid down a strict warning against 'love jihad' in the state. When the chief minister, while addressing an election rally in Deoria on Saturday, announced this, he was met with cheers from his supporters.
"Yesterday, the Allahabad High Court ruled that religious conversion just for the sake of marriage is not valid. This practice should be dismissed at the earliest. This government is going to implement strict measures to curb 'love jihad' at the earliest," the UP Chief Minister said, followed by high applause from the crowd.
CM Yogi said that an all-encompassing law will be enacted in this regard. "I warn those who conceal their identities and play with our sisters' respect, if you do not mend your ways your 'Ram naam satya' journey will begin," the rhetoric was loud and clear.
Yogi further said under 'Mission Shakti', the administration is focused on ensuring the "safety of our sisters and daughters" and that any attempt at violating this safety will result in authorities dealing a strict blow.
Allahabad High Court's order
The Allahabad High Court had said on Friday in a case that conversion just for the sake of marriage is not valid. The court made the remark while dismissing a plea by a newly married couple.
The couple had approached the court to direct police and the woman's father not to disturb their marital life.
Justice MC Tripathi passed the order last month in a petition filed by Priyanshi alias Samreen and her partner.
In the petition, it was stated that the couple got married in July this year, but family members of the woman were interfering in their marital life.
Dismissing the petition, the court observed, "The first petitioner has converted her religion on June 29, 2020, and just after one month, they have solemnised their marriage on July 31, 2020, which clearly reveals to this court that the said conversion has taken place only for the purpose of marriage."
There was legal precedent in this case, as well.
The court referred to the case of Noor Jahan Begum in which the high court in 2014 held that conversion just for the purpose of marriage was unacceptable.
The petition was rejected by the Allahabad High Court in the case of Noor Jahan Begum praying to provide protection to the married couple as the girl was a Hindu in the case and married after converting to Islam.
In that case, the court had asked, "Whether conversion of religion of a Hindu girl at the instance of a Muslim boy, without any knowledge of Islam or faith and belief in Islam and merely for the purpose of Marriage (Nikah) is valid?"
The court at that time answered the question in negative while relying on teachings of the Quran.
(With agency inputs)
