Bangalore: Expressing grave concern over the
luring of teenaged girls under the guise of "Love Jihad", the
Karnataka government on Friday said it would initiate a probe into
the matter.
Love Jihad refers to the incidents of young non-Muslim
girls allegedly being lured into marriage and then converted
to Islam.
When some ruling BJP members in the state Assembly drew
the attention of government to incidents of Love Jihad, which,
they said, were on the rise in parts of coastal districts,
Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs S Suresh Kumar said
"it is a grave issue and should be viewed seriously".
"The issue should not be viewed through political angle.
One should understand the penury of parents of the girls who
fall into such trap. It is an alarming development," he said.
Kumar said he would discuss the matter with the Home
Minister R Ashok and request him to order a probe.
Mallika Prasad (BJP), who raised the issue during zero
hour, said 84 girls have been reported missing in Dakshina
Kannada district from this June to November of whom only 69
have been traced. "What happened to the fate of those who
remained untraced?," she asked.
Under the guise of love and marriage, young girls were
being lured and sold, she said.
Deputy Speaker N Yogish Bhat (BJP) said this year 64 girls
went missing in Udupi district and only 42 have been traced.
He alleged that the drug mafia was also involved in this
racket and that several girls had committed suicide.
Bhat said that police have been threatening those who
inform them about alleged conversion and wanted government to
look into the issue. S Angara (BJP) said that when an elected representative
alerted police about an incident of Love Jihad--a boy eloping
with a girl in Sullia, they arrested the man who gave the
information.
Ramanath Rai (Cong) complained that moral policing was on
the rise in parts of coastal districts, a remark which drew
protests from C T Ravi and Angara (both BJP).
PTI
