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'Love jihad' and religious conversion in Uttar Pradesh

Senior Samajwadi Party leader and Rampur MLA Azam Khan

BAREILLY: Samajwadi Party leader and Rampur MLA Azam Khan , hitting out at BJP leaders who coined the term “love jihad”, said, “Ask Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain, who have Hindu wives, the meaning of ‘ love jihad ’.”Khan, a minister in the state cabinet, asserted that “love” and “jihad” were both “paak” (pious) terms that should be above petty politics . He was speaking in response to questions from reporters about “love jihad,” a term that gained currency after the Muzaffarnagar riots of last year, late Monday evening.Azam Khan explained that there was nothing wrong in two people from different religions choosing to get married. He cited the examples of BJP leaders Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain, and said these Muslim leaders, married to Hindu women, should be asked to explain what “love jihad” was, for they personified the unique bond between people of different religious persuasions.Leaders like Yogi Adityanath, who bandy the term “love jihad”, implying that it was a ruse by Muslim men to trap Hindu women in a bid to convert them, should first put these two leaders on trial, Khan said.Shahnawaz Hussain’s wife Renu, and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s wife Seema, are both housewives.Just about 500 people were indulging in “najayaz” (illegitimate) use of the words “love” and “jihad”, Khan said, adding that this small number had managed to drive a wedge between communities. He said the 125 crore people of the country would give these divisive forces a fitting reply.Questioned about his alleged unfair treatment of political rivals, Azam said, “Some say I am strict. If I were not, I would be no use to the people of Rampur. Criminals have no place in Rampur, they should remain in jail. Jo jhuk jaate hain woh tinka kehlate hain lekin jo mazbooti se samna karte hain woh faulad hotey hain.” (Those who wither under pressure are termed as weak but those who stand firm against adversities are called sturdy).