The disease of hate has struck so deep roots in some hearts that they see fire where there is not even smoke. This hate frequently strikes this or that part of country and shoots trouble in placid waters.
Such is the case of the people who have invented the derogatory term ‘love jehad’, meaning that there is a conspiracy in the country through which Muslim youths are inspired to feign falling in love with young women of other communities with a view to converting them by fraudulent means to Islam.
This baseless allegation was doing rounds in Kerala first. The propaganda was so potent that an advocate in a case in Kerala High Court sought to use it. Their lordships deemed it fit to ask the DGP of the state to look into the allegation. The Kerala DGP filed its report in the Court that the police did not come across any such moves or organisations which engage in compulsive or deceitful conversions. It means that there was neither fire nor smoke. Only vile allegations with a view to lit the fire of hatred.
Another report says that in the case of a young woman Silja Raj, who converted to Islam and married a Muslim, a Division Bench of Karnataka High Court has ordered a similar investigation. The Court deemed it fit to order the investigation in spite of the fact that the woman told in the open court that no one had forced her to convert to Islam. Yet the honourable judges averred that they have serious suspicion regarding the statement of the woman and also held that the case may have ramification for national security and has raised questions of unlawful trafficking of girls and women. Moreover, the court ordered the woman to be in the custody of her parents till the investigation is completed by 13th November. Meanwhile, PUCL has said that it would file a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the order which, in its opinion, is against the established law and goes against the fundamental rights granted by our Constitution.
It is a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution and endorsed by international law to profess, preach or propagate the religion of one’s choice. It is important that this right is not curtailed and such restrictions are not placed on it which amount to curtailing it.
As regards Islam, it never supports use of any questionable means for achieving any objective, howsoever hollowed. Both the right and the wrong have been specified and every person is free to make his choice. There is no compulsion in accepting or rejecting a religion. Muslim leaders have made it clear that in the prevailing atmosphere of free mixing of young men and women in society, and especially in colleges, there has been a tendency among youngsters to fall in love and intermarry across the barriers of religions. But there is no truth that any organisation or community is using it for conversions. The fact is that Islam disapproves pre-marital relationships and prescribes strict norms of modesty and segregation of sexes.
There is need to defeat the efforts of communal forces which want to keep the atmosphere hot to deepen the mistrust and hatred among communities. It is unfortunate that propaganda is being made against Muslim community. Let us ignore it and say that we are ready to welcome anyone into the fold of Islam, but we do not believe in any coercion or fraud in preaching it.