Nagpur, February 16: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said there was nothing wrong with interfaith marriages, but steps need to be taken against matrimonial alliances through fraud and false identity. Talking to reporters here, Fadnavis said the Supreme Court and Kerala High Court have made observations about the reality of "love jihad". ‘Love Jihad’ Law in Maharashtra: CM Fadnavis-Led Govt Forms 7-Member Panel To Look Into ‘Forced Conversions’.

Fadnavis was responding to a question about the state government setting up a committee to study the legal aspects for a new law against forced conversions and cases of 'love jihad". "Love jihad" is a term used by right-wing activists and outfits to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to convert Hindu women to Islam through marriage. The chief minister said, "It is a reality, and in Maharashtra, incidents of being duped into marriage and then abandoned once children are born are on the rise." ‘Love Jihad’: Supreme Court Declines To Entertain PIL To Expunge Trial Court’s Remarks, Saying ‘Illegal Conversion Threat to Unity, Integrity and Sovereignty of Country’.

He clarified that there was nothing wrong with interfaith marriages, but instances of using fake identities and fraud are serious and need to be curbed. The state government has issued a Government Resolution (GR) stating that a committee headed by the state director general of police (DGP) will suggest steps to tackle the complaints of "love jihad" and forced conversions. It will also look at legal aspects and the laws framed in other states and recommend legislation to prevent such instances.