Parent Madhuri Kotasthane is under stress. She has been making an effort to keep an eye on her daughter, a 19-year-old college student, at all times.
Kotasthane also has a 22-year-old son who is enrolled at a foreign institution to pursue further education, but she is not too worried about his daily routine. This is not how she always was. She became fixated on her daughter’s travel plans a few months ago when a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) worker visited Hindu homes in their housing community and exposed them to the concept of “love jihad.”
The concept of “love jihad” alarmed Kotasthane, a housewife who doesn’t read the newspaper or watch any news channels on television. She researched the tale after the activist informed her about the Shraddha Walkar murder case, in which Walkar was killed, her corpse was dismembered, and the bits were scattered over Delhi. She was appalled, and ever since, she has lived in constant worry that her daughter may fall prey to “love jihad.”
The daughter of Kotasthane claims that she has begun to lose friends as a result of her mother’s “paranoia”.
“My mother’s paranoia is making my life miserable,” the daughter complains. My father is currently being converted to her way of thinking by her. She is interested in whatever I do during the day. My pals make fun of me, and I’ve also lost friends. According to my mother, a Muslim guy will seduce me, marry me, and convert me. It is now excessively stuffy.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other Hindutva organizations’ activists have launched campaigns to educate Hindu families about the dangers of allowing their daughters to live in “unsupervised freedom.” The mobility of the girls in the homes should be closely monitored, the parents are instructed. Another parent claims that if there is even the slightest departure from the ‘regular’ daily routine, the parents may get in touch with the activists, who would monitor their activities and assist them in taking the appropriate action. Many of the girls are upset with their parents’ behavior because their parents are tracking their whereabouts to prevent them from entering love marriages.
“Anything may be spoken by visitors. Why shouldn’t our parents rely on their own judgment? The parents of one of my friends are engaging in the same behavior. Another college-bound female complains that “our lives are becoming stifled.”
Over 50 similar demonstrations have been staged throughout Maharashtra to oppose “love jihad” since November 20, 2022, when the first Hindu Jan Akrosh protest was held by fringe Hindu organizations in Parbhani in eastern Maharashtra. These demonstrations, which are attended by ministers and prominent members of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde group), are successful in dividing Hindus and Muslims and inflaming hostility between the two groups. Participants in these demonstrations, which are held in each of the state’s 36 districts, have pledged to halt until the Maharashtra government passes a legislation outlawing “love jihad.”
There is a sea of saffron visible for kilometers in these realities. The flags, hats, saris, stoles, blouses, and many other items all include saffron. Even the platform and festoons are saffron in color. Every speaker at the demonstration, regardless of where it takes place—in Mumbai, its suburbs, or regions all throughout Maharashtra—reiterates the need of an economic boycott of Muslims.
Shankar Gaikar, General Secretary of Vishva Hindu Parishad (Maharashtra Unit), said that the significant number of women who join these right-wing demonstrations is a recent phenomena.
“Women relate to love jihad. They also worry about being a target of “love jihad.” They show up to rallies in such large numbers because of this, said Gaikar.
A frequent speaker at these gatherings, Gaikar believes they capture the sentiment of the Hindu community and show that they will not tolerate the “harassment” inflicted by the Muslims.
“The activists of the VHP, Bajrang Dal, Durga Vahini, and the other affiliates attend all the major Hindu functions and raise awareness about love jihad and land jihad,” he says to Outlook. We take precautions to prevent the conversion of our females to love jihad. Their goal is to convert everyone to Islam. Up till the government doesn’t enact a legislation against love jihad, we will continue the Hindu Jan Akrosh demonstrations.
Devendra Fadnavis, the deputy chief minister in charge of the home portfolio, was compelled to deliver a speech in the Legislative Council during the budget session in March of this year as a result of the Hindu Jan Akrosh protests’ resonance in the Maharashtra Legislature. He let the lawmakers know that a new legislation against “love jihad” was being actively considered by the state legislature. According to him, this measure will be upheld by the Constitution. He also said that the police force would be made more aware by the director general of police. Additionally, a standard operating process will be established for swift action in situations when the parents claim their daughters have been deceived by “love jihad” and cannot be reached.
