Police in Madhya Pradesh has lodged a case per day under the anti-conversion ordinance mooted as MP Freedom of Religion ordinance in the state in January. The police lodged 23 cases over “love jihad” accusations from women, Madhya Pradesh Home minister Narottam Mishra said on Thursday. These cases were reported between January 9 and 31.
Bhopal has topped the chart with maximum seven cases while Indore recorded five cases in the period.
The minister said that anti-national forces are using “love jihad” as a tool to dent the country’s image, which is evident from the numbers of cases reported in the month of January.
MP has recently promulgated an ordinance to deter forceful conversion on the pretext of love and marriages.
Meanwhile, the minister claimed that Rewa and Jabalpur divisions reported four cases each while the Gwalior division recorded three cases last month.
“We have been saying this for long that this is a critical issue and several such forces are active in the country. We have just taken an initiative,” said the Home minister.
The ordinance was approved on January 9 and Madhya Pradesh became the second state after Uttar Pradesh to have formulated a law to deter “love jihad” cases.
The legislation has provision of jail term upto 10 years for those alluring girls of other faith into conversion through love or marriage. Those aiding such acts are also liable for penal provisions under the ordinance.
The earlier act formulated in year 1968 against conversions had the provision of jail term upto three years and fine upto Rs 20,000.
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