Maha govt working on law to curb love jihad, says Devendra Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, stated on Saturday that the state government is considering enacting legislation to combat love jihad, but will research comparable legislation in other states first.

Many cases have come up of girls getting married and converting. There is demand from all corners to make a law against this. Earlier, I had made an announcement in the House also. Accordingly, study of laws in various states is on and then the decision about it in Maharashtra will be taken, Fadnavis said.

Speaking about the Supreme Court on Friday staying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case related to a remark on the Modi surname, Fadnavis made a veiled attack on the opposition party by saying some people think if the Supreme Court rules in their favour, then it (decision) is good or else it is bad.

Supreme Court has said that the statement made by Gandhi was not appropriate. The Congress and some parties have been praising the SC verdict, he said. He was talking to reporters after attending the passing-out parade at the Maharashtra Police Academy here. Fadnavis holds the Home portfolio in the Eknath Shinde government.

Fadnavis said the state government will soon recruit 18,000 police personnel, while the force will get 650-700 sub inspectors by September over and above the 500 PSIs who graduated from the MPA during the day.