Modi's aide issues death threats to Muslim community on pretext of 'love jihad'

I warn those who conceal their identity and play with our sisters' respect, says UP CM Yogi Adityanath

Chief Minister of India’s Uttar Pradesh state, Yogi Adityanath has issued a veiled threat against inter-faith marriages, saying his government will go to any extent to curb the “love jihad”— a term radical Hindu groups use to accuse Muslim men of converting Hindu women by marriage.

Commenting on a local court order, Adityanath belonging to right-wing ruling BJP party said: "Allahabad High Court has said religious conversion isn't necessary for marriage. The government will work to curb ‘love jihad’. We will make a law”.

“I also warn those who conceal their identity and play with our sisters' respect," he said while addressing an election rally, NDTV reported.

Adityanath, whose administration has been criticised for a spate of horrific crimes against women – including two separate instances of alleged rape against Dalit women in September – allowed to initiate a 'Ram naam satya' (the chant associated with Hindu funerals) campaign to protect the sanctity of Hindu women.

“We will go to every extent to make this operation a success," he added.

Nevertheless, the subject has made headlines in recent weeks with Assam BJP kickstarting its campaign for next year's polls by saying girls in the state were "falling prey to love jihad".

Earlier this month, Tanishq, a top Indian jewellery retailer, was forced to pull out an advertisement featuring an inter-faith couple after drawing flak from country’s right-wing for promoting Hindu-Muslim unity.

The commercial showed a baby shower organised for the Hindu bride by her Muslim in-laws which was termed as ‘love jihad ‘by right-wing groups.

Rights groups say religious tolerance is under threat in India. Hindu-Muslim marriages have long attracted censure.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in its annual report released earlier this year recommended that the State Department should designate India as “country of particular concern” or CPC, for “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA)”.