Bhopal: FIR against Hindutva group members for assaulting Muslim man over ‘love jihad’ claims

After members of a Hindutva group barged into a hotel room in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal and assaulted a Muslim man, while he was with a Hindu woman, over allegations of “love jihad”, a first information report was registered against unidentified persons, The Hindu reported on Wednesday.

Love jihad is a Hindutva conspiracy theory that Muslim men trick Hindu women into romantic relationships with the aim of converting them to Islam. The Union home ministry has told Parliament that Indian law has no provision defining such a term.

The case was registered at the Govindpura police station based on multiple complaints against unidentified persons for allegedly assaulting 27-yer-old Arif Khan on May 10.

Members of the Bajrang Dal reportedly entered a hotel room in Gautam Nagar and assaulted Khan. They later paraded him on the street after smearing ink and cow dung on his face.

Videos shared on social media showed the Bajrang Dal members shouting “Jai Shri Ram” during the assault. Some clips also showed them slapping Khan in front of police personnel as officers tried to intervene, The Hindu reported.

The Bajrang Dal is part of a group of Hindutva organisations led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organisation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The woman later told the police that she had not faced coercion or forced conversion and had...

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