Hindu Nationalism, Love Jihad and the Criminalization of Inter-faith Marriage:: A study on the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance, and the lived realities of Hindu-Muslim couples

Since the implementation of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance (2020), also known as the Love Jihad Law, religious conversion for marriage has become illegal in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP). This law can be understood as an attempt from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to prevent the conversion of Hindu women and to further stigmatize Muslim men. This thesis analyses how this law problematizes the lives of inter-faith couples in practice. For that purpose, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with Hindus and Muslims from UP, who are in an inter-faith marriage, and with experts from organizations that support inter-faith couples and women with their right to choose. The interviews are supplemented with online stories from couples in UP. With these interviews and online stories, this thesis incorporates the lived experiences from inter-faith couples. Therefore, this thesis does not only contribute to studies on love jihad and Hindu...Show moreSince the implementation of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance (2020), also known as the Love Jihad Law, religious conversion for marriage has become illegal in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP). This law can be understood as an attempt from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to prevent the conversion of Hindu women and to further stigmatize Muslim men. This thesis analyses how this law problematizes the lives of inter-faith couples in practice. For that purpose, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with Hindus and Muslims from UP, who are in an inter-faith marriage, and with experts from organizations that support inter-faith couples and women with their right to choose. The interviews are supplemented with online stories from couples in UP. With these interviews and online stories, this thesis incorporates the lived experiences from inter-faith couples. Therefore, this thesis does not only contribute to studies on love jihad and Hindu nationalism, but it also provides insights in how the lives from inter-faith couples, regarding their relationship or marriage, have changed since the implementation of the UP Ordinance. The thesis concludes that the UP Ordinance has not only made it close to impossible for Hindu-Muslim couples to marry in UP. The criminalization of inter-faith marriages has also (1) caused inter-faith couples to lose protection and cooperation from the authorities, (2) it has stimulated Hindu nationalist groups and individuals to harass inter-faith couples and intensified the disturbance of marriages, and consider this as an ‘act of civic duty’, (3) and it has deepened feelings of suspicion and enmity amongst friends, family members and entire communities, as inter-faith couples can be denounced by anyone to the authorities.Show less

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Hindu Nationalism, Love Jihad and the Criminalization of Inter-faith Marriage: A study on the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance, and the lived realities of Hindu-Muslim couples