‘Love Jihad’ is Baseless
The Gujarat High Court’s order staying some sections of the state’s new anti-love jihad law is a setback to the state government. It would also serve as a cautionary note to other state governments that have passed such a law or are planning to do so. An anti–‘love jihad’ law has been in force in the state since 2003. The state government introduced some clauses in it through amendments which in effect treated an inter-faith marriage as involving forced religious conversion and thus as a criminal offence.
The court said that some sections of the law would not operate merely because the marriage is solemnised by a person of one religion with a person of another religion without force and such marriages can’t be termed as marriage for the purpose of unlawful conversion. The court has done well to order a stay which it thought was necessary to “protect the parties solemnised in an inter faith marriage from being unnecessarily harassed “. During hearings, the court made it clear that marriage is a matter of personal choice. There is no credible evidence to prove the claims made by Hindutva groups about love jihad.
Nazeer Ahmed Kazi
Prof Secateurs
Vijaypur, Karnataka
Let’s Respect Diversity of Cultures and Religions
Anti-Muslim slogans were raised at Jantar Mantar on August 8 at a protest organised by Bharat Jodo Andolan, where hundreds of people participated to demand abolition of colonial laws. This protest was held under the leadership of former BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay. The objective of the protest took a contagious turn when anti-Muslim slogans were raised.
Such activities bring discomfort to the country and threaten its sovereignty. India is the land of varied cultures and religions. But such communal acts are completely ridiculous. No religion has anything to do with politics but due to selfish desire for power, some politicians use it as their weapon. These actions are highly detestable. The police have taken some of the culprits into custody. There needs to be imposition of strict penalties on such violators. We live in a diverse country, which is blessed with numerous cultures and religions. Let us respect it.
Manoj Kumar Jena
Cuttack, Odisha
Punish the Officer Who Ordered to ‘Crack Heads’ of Farmers
A video showing Karnal Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ayush Sinha asking policemen to ensure farmers who were protesting against BJP leaders get “head injuries” had surfaced on social media. It has drawing criticism from a wide section of people. “It is very simple and clear, whoever he is, wherever he is from, no one should be allowed to reach there. We will not let this line be breached at any cost. Just pick up your lathi and hit them hard… It’s very clear, there is no need for any instruction, just thrash them hard. If I see a single protester here, I want to see his head smashed, crack their heads,” Mr Sinha is heard saying in the video.
As a result, about 10 people were seriously injured on August 28 after the state police lathi-charged a group of farmers who had stopped traffic on a highway while heading towards Haryana’s Karnal to protest against a BJP meeting, where Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, state BJP chief Om Prakash Dhankar and other senior leaders were present. Videos of some farmers bathed in blood on social media were really horrible.
The civil servant should be given stringent punishment for abusing power in his hand. He should be suspended with immediate effect. Only then people’s faith in law and order can be restored.
Kadam Singh
Karnal, Haryana