By Muslim Mirror Staff
New Delhi: More than 30 Muslim men were apprehended in the name of so-called “love jihad” in Uttar Pradesh in the past one month following the enforcement of the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020.
A PTI report said that a total of 35 individuals were arrested in one month. During this period, several men were physically attacked by Hindu extremists and members of Hindutva groups.
Nearly a dozen FIRs have been lodged since the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, was notified on November 27.
‘Love jihad’ is a conspiracy theory developed by Hindu extremist groups. It alleges that Muslim men are running a jihad campaign to convert Hindu women and marry them.
The first person arrested under the new ordinance was Owais Ahmad in Bareilly district after a resident of Sharif Nagar village in Devarniya accused Ahmad, a resident of the same village, of trying to convert his daughter through “allurement,” said police. Ahmed was accused of allegedly trying to coerce a 20-year-old married Hindu woman to convert her to his religion and marry him.
In Muzaffarnagar, 32-year-old Nadeem and an accomplice were arrested on December 6.
The case against Nadeem was based on the complaint given by Akshay Kumar Tyagi, who alleged that Nadeem was trying to convert his wife Parul so as to marry her. It was the complainant’s claim that Nadeem was known to him and used to visit his house often.
However, weeks later the Allahabad High Court ordered that no coercive measures should be taken against Nadeem.
The judges also extracted Article 25 stating that it provides all persons equal right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion, subject to public order, morality, health and other provisions of Part-III of the Constitution.
Several petitions have already been filed before the Supreme Court and Allahabad High Court challenging the validity of the recent ordinance by Yogi Adityanath government.