Rajasthan women want tough laws against 'love jihad'

Jaipur, Dec 11: Women in Rajasthan wants strict laws against the perpetrators of 'love jihad' and their is a rising consensus among some groups who have urged Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to bring a legislation soon. According to Nimiketam Sanstha, a social organisation, data on love jihad incidents from 20 districts in the states showed 20 cases in Jaipur, 23 in Ajmer, and 13 in small districts like Tonk. Women from various groups staged a protest against increasing cases of 'love jihad' in the state on Thursday which also was World Human Rights Day. Sixty-seven fresh cases have been reported in the year 2020. Overall 153 cases have been reported in different districts of the state in the last four years, they said. The women activists staged protests at Central Park here. "The human rights of victims of love jihad need to be protected," they said, adding the government should take stringent actions against such acts and accused should be "dealt with an iron hand". There has been a major surge in cases as only 17 cases of love jihad were reported in 2017. The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leaders have also written a letter to the Chief Minister demanding to bring in a law against love jihad. In his letter, it said: "Many cases of love jihad are being reported in the state each month where a plot is hatched to lure innocent girls who after being married are forced to change their caste." There is a strong need to bring a strict law against love jihad in Rajasthan. Gehlot should immediately focus his attention on to this serious issue to secure the lives of daughters and daughters-in-law, it added. (IANS)