MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has constituted a seven-member committee, led by the state's Director General of Police (DGP), to examine the legal aspects of a proposed law against forced religious conversions and cases of so-called "love jihad." Reacting to this development, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha welcomed the move, calling it a long-pending demand.
Speaking to IANS, Lodha said, “This was the demand of the entire Hindu community. Such incidents have been rising steadily in Maharashtra and across the country. I extend my gratitude to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on behalf of the 12 crore people of the state for forming this committee. Mumbai has been a hotspot for such cases.”
Lodha further claimed that in the past year, Mumbai alone has witnessed five major cases of "love jihad" -- citing the instances of Shraddha Walkar, Rupali Chandanshive, Yashashri Shinde, Sonam Shukla, and Poonam Kshirsagar.
“People from a particular community deliberately target girls from another community. If this is not 'love jihad, ' then what is it? When I raised this issue in the Assembly, MLA Rais Shaikh filed a case against me in court. Leaders like Rais Shaikh use their political positions to shield those involved in 'love jihad, '” Lodha told IANS.
According to a Government Resolution (GR) issued late on Friday night, the panel will assess the current situation in Maharashtra and suggest measures to address complaints related to forced religious conversions and "love jihad."
The committee includes senior officials from key government departments such as Women and Child Welfare, Minority Affairs, Law and Judiciary, Social Justice and Special Assistance, Home Department (represented by Deputy Secretaries).
However, there is no deadline for the panel to submit its report.
Their mandate is to study the legal framework in other states where similar laws have been enacted and recommend a suitable legislative approach for Maharashtra. The committee will analyse the effectiveness of existing measures and suggest necessary steps to curb incidents of forced religious conversions.