Uttar Pradesh’s ‘love jihad’ law in effect from today, Governor clears ordinance

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet had cleared the Ordinance earlier this week to check “unlawful religious conversions” and “inter-faith marriages with the sole intention of changing a girl’s religion”.

According to the law, a marriage will be declared “shunya” (null and void) if the “sole intention” was to “change a girl’s religion”.

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“Those getting the conversion done in violation of the provisions of the proposed law would have to face jail term of up to 10 years,” the government said in a statement. If it is found that the conversion is done “forcibly, through atrocity or cheating”, the offence will be non-bailable.

BJP-ruled states of Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have also sought to bring a law to check what they call “love jihad”. Last week, at least five Opposition-ruled states condemned the move as an encroachment on personal liberty, and an attempt to create a communal divide in the country.

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