Mumbai: Maharashtra won't come up with any law against 'Love Jihad' which is being actively pursued by BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, the Maha Vikas Aghadi partners have said.
The parties in the ruling combine – Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress – have alleged that the BJP, which they say is still smarting from the loss of power in Maharashtra, is hell-bent on playing communal and divisive politics by manufacturing issues.
NCP spokesman and Minister of Minority Affairs Nawab Malik categorically ruled out any possibility of the government getting drawn into the controversy. "The government will not enact any law. It is the BJP’s systematic plan to do politics and disturb the communal and social harmony. Everybody has a liberty to choose his or her life partner and the government cannot put any curbs on it. If the BJP wants to press for such a law in the state, the senior ministers in the Union cabinet and former ministers who have chosen their life partners from different religions should be arrested first," he told the Free Press Journal.
The Congress also slammed the BJP for demanding a legislation to tackle 'Love Jihad'. The BJP-led governments have said they will bring in laws to deal with the alleged religious conversion of women in the name of marriage. Congress leader and Minister of Ports and Fisheries Aslam Shaikh said the BJP is raking up the issue to distract people's attention from core problems.
The Shiv Sena too spoke in chorus. Party leader and Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said 'Love Jihad' is BJP’s agenda and it is playing with words. "We should leave the decision on marriage to boys and girls."Earlier, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis had made a strong case for enactment of a legislation to stop 'Love Jihad'.