Paush Krushna 12, Kaliyug Varsha 5113
Bangluru: There was pandemonium in the legislative assembly on Friday with ruling and opposition members locked in a heated argument over love jihad (the term used for recent incidents in which Muslim youth have eloped with Hindu girls).
Raising the issue during zero hour, BJP member Mallika Prasad accused the government of not taking steps to tackle this trend in Dakshina Kannada district where Muslim youths won over Hindu girls with promises of marriage and finally converting them. "From January to November this year, 84 Hindu girls have been missing. Of these, 69 confessed they’d been lured by Muslim youths who professed love. The worrying factor is that some girls are pushed into the flesh trade," she said.
Another member S Angara (BJP) alleged that police booked a case against an elected representative in his assembly constituency when he went to complain about a youth who’d eloped with a girl.
Deputy speaker N Yogish Bhat said this was a serious matter and the government should take immediate steps to stop it.
B Ramanath Rai (Congress ) alleged the issue was being raised to disrupt communal harmony in the district. "A few years ago, members of the minority community were beaten by sangh parivar cadres for transporting cattle. In some instances, Sangh Parivar have members indulged in moral policing. When there are police and the law & order system, where’s the need for moral policing?" asked Rai. Abhay Chandra Jain (Cong) supported Rai.
House leader S Suresh Kumar said love jihad is a dangerous trend. "The government will take appropriate action and ask the home department to take measures to curtail it," he said.
