Assam Law Against Cheating To Marry To Be "Equal For Hindus And Muslims"

"We don't want to use the term 'Love Jihad' since we feel even a Hindu should not cheat a Hindu," said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said the state government will soon bring a law to check the menace of men marrying women by concealing their religious identity and other information and added that it will be "equal for Hindus and Muslims". Stating that even a Hindu man should not marry a Hindu woman by concealing information about him, the Chief Minister said he does not want to use the term "Love Jihad". "Love Jihad" is a term used by right-wing groups to target relationships between Muslim men and Hindu women, which, they say, is a ruse to forcibly convert the women. The BJP government had, in its manifesto for the Assembly polls held this year, promised to bring a law against 'Love Jihad'. Under the section, "Protection of Civilisation in Assam", the manifesto stated, "We will formulate appropriate laws and policies to tackle and end the menace of 'Love Jihad' and 'Land Jihad' in Assam," the manifesto had said.