The Maharashtra government has established a seven-member committee aimed at creating a legal framework to address alleged cases of ‘love jihad’ and forced religious conversions. The committee, which will be headed by Maharashtra’s Director General of Police (DGP), Sanjay Verma, includes high-ranking officials from various departments, including women and child welfare, minority affairs, law and judiciary, social justice, special assistance, and home.

The formation of this committee follows rising calls from political and social groups for legislation to curb what is referred to as ‘love jihad’, a term often used to describe an alleged conspiracy where Muslim men are accused of luring Hindu women into interfaith marriages, followed by forced conversions.

The committee has been tasked with evaluating the current situation, reviewing complaints regarding forced conversions and ‘love jihad,’ and examining existing laws from other states that have passed similar legislation. Its ultimate goal will be to recommend measures to the Maharashtra government to address the issue. Additionally, the committee will look into the legal implications and frameworks from states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, which already have laws on the matter.

In a Government Resolution (GR) released on February 15, 2025, the BJP-led government in Maharashtra emphasized that the formation of this committee was a necessary step to protect women’s rights and preserve cultural values. Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, a prominent BJP leader, praised the formation of the committee, calling ‘love jihad’ a serious issue requiring urgent attention. He cited several tragic incidents, including the brutal murder of Shraddha Walkar in 2022, allegedly at the hands of her live-in partner, as proof of the dangers posed by interfaith marriages and conversions.

Opposition Reacts

The decision to form the committee has not been without controversy. While the ruling party defends the move as crucial for the safety and protection of women, the opposition has sharply criticized it. NCP leader Supriya Sule questioned the government’s priorities, urging it to focus on more pressing issues such as the economy and foreign trade. Referring to the recent changes in tariffs imposed by the United States, she emphasized that economic issues should take precedence over personal matters like marriage and love.

On the other hand, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi accused the government of using the ‘love jihad’ narrative to target and harass Muslim communities. He suggested that the ruling party’s actions were aimed at spreading communalism rather than solving real societal issues. Congress leader Husain Dalwai also dismissed ‘love jihad’ as a baseless myth, asserting that there was no concrete evidence of such conversions and that India’s secular values were being undermined by attempts to legislate personal choices regarding love and marriage.

The BJP, however, has been firm in its stance. Lodha pointed to multiple high-profile cases, including the killing of several women in the name of interfaith relationships, to highlight the urgency of enacting laws that could prevent such crimes. In this regard, the party has framed the law as a way to protect women from the alleged threats posed by interfaith marriages, emphasizing that the legislation would not interfere with personal freedoms but would serve to prevent exploitation and coercion.

The ‘Love Jihad’

The term ‘love jihad’ has been contentious since it first gained traction in Indian political discourse. Proponents argue that it is necessary to protect Hindu women from coercion and forced conversions, while critics see it as a tool to stoke communal tensions and to control interfaith relationships. While Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat have already enacted laws to deal with ‘love jihad,’ Maharashtra’s move to form a committee signals a significant shift toward potentially introducing similar legislation in one of India’s largest states.

However, the broader implications of such laws are significant. Many argue that these laws infringe upon individual freedoms and the right to choose one’s partner. Critics contend that the government’s focus on ‘love jihad’ distracts from pressing issues like unemployment, inflation, and social welfare. Moreover, the idea of regulating personal relationships has raised concerns about reinforcing communal divisions, especially in a country that prides itself on secularism and diversity.

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