Though the widespread liberals and the left-controlled education system are sceptical and hesitant in accepting this issue and often pass it off as a figment of the “right-wing” imagination, ‘Love Jihad’ exists. There are forces active across the country that are targeting susceptible and vulnerable Hindu women, luring, brainwashing and forcefully converting them into Islam.

Despite being an old issue, of late, these cases have seen a sudden spike, particularly in the Western part of Uttar Pradesh where there is a significant population of Muslims. Be it the Juhi Colony’s Shalini Yadav “Love Jihad” case or the case of Lakhimpur Kheri’s 18-year-old Dalit girl, whose mutilated body was found dumped near a dried-up pond by one Dilshad. The Kanpur’s Panki case in which two accused Mohsin Khan and Aamir were arrested or then the Govind Nagar’s Muskaan’s case of torture, ‘black magic’, brainwashing and conversion. All these cases have thrown Kanpur in the spotlight and compelled Uttar Pradesh police to constitute a special investigating team (SIT) to probe allegations of ‘Love Jihad’ and forced conversion. 

Love Jihad: Definite pattern emerges

However, when these cases are seen together, a definite pattern emerges. In mostly all these ‘Love Jihad’ cases, the Muslim accused belong to extremely humble families living in abysmal poverty. Some are reported to be jobless, some work as small-time mechanics in maybe a puncture repair shop, a truck driver or maybe a tailor, like in the Lakhimpur Kheri case. But, when it comes to making an impression on the Hindu girls, it emerges that these youths unhesitantly throw money around. They wear expensive clothes and buy expensive gifts for these girls. Moreover, when caught, expensive legal help is sought to free them. The question arises, if these youths are so impoverished, then from where do they get these funds?

Likewise in Shalini Yadav’s case, her brother Vikash has revealed that accused – Faisal is unemployed, whereas his father works with a small furniture dealer. The brother questioned if Faizal comes from such a humble background then from where did he get the money to take his sister first from Kanpur to Delhi and then from Delhi back to Prayagraj? Who funded the travel? How could he afford to hire senior lawyers to defend him in the Delhi High Court as well as the Uttar Pradesh High Court? “Obviously, some person or organization is giving financial help to Faisal”, Vikash asserted.

Reports suggest that in the Kanpur’s Panki case too, both accused Mohsin Khan and Aamir belonged to very poor families. However, since their arrest, money is being spent like water to get the two out of jail. The victim’s father revealed that when he visited the court with his daughters, more than 100 youths were present in support of the two accused.

A systematized syndicate operating to execute this ‘organised crime’ with financial support from various Islamic organisations: Bajrang Dal activist

To delve into this further, OpIndia spoke to Bajrang Dal’s Rashtriya Mahila Parishad Head, Nidhi Awasthi. Notably, Bajrang Dal has been working relentlessly in Kanpur and nearby areas against the menace of Love Jihad. Nidhi Awasthi opined that the magnitude of crime being executed in various parts of Uttar Pradesh, especially the western fringe of the state, indicates that it cannot be the work of individuals. Evidently, a systematized syndicate has been operating to execute this ‘organised crime’ with financial and logistical support from various Islamic organisations, said Awasthi.

Speaking on how these cartels operate, Nidhi Awasthi said that the Islamic fundamentalists who head these organisations work with the sole aim to convert as many Hindus as they can and to attain their objectives they hire youths who are good looking, attractive, have good oratory skills, but at the same time who belong to lesser privileged families. They are then trained to lure and brainwash Hindu girls.

Nidhi said that these fundamentalists have methodically categorised Hindu girls according to their castes and a clear-cut package has been affixed. For example, if the girl, who is being targetted is a Brahmin or a Thakur, the Muslim youth who has entrapped the girl would approximately be rewarded Rs 5 lakhs, in case the girl is a Yadav or a Gupta, the rate is fixed at Rs 3 lakhs. Accordingly, if the girl belongs to the SC/ST then the perpetrator would be given Rs 2-2.5 lakhs, she said.

The Rashtriya Mahila Parishad President says that this is the reason why maximum girls who have been targetted so far in Kanpur and surrounding areas belongs to a Brahmin family.

She furthers that social media plays a very vital role. Since it is practically impossible to know one’s economical condition on Facebook or Whatsapp, these youths generally target girls through social media. They upload pictures where they are extremely well-dressed on these social media platforms to impress the naive Hindu girls, who then agree to meet them. The youths, who have received training, now use their charisma to impress these girls. Speaking to the girls, these trained youths gauge the victim’s vulnerabilities and accordingly use it to their advantage to trap the victims, says Nidhi.

It is pertinent to note here, that 18-year-old Muskaan Tiwari, a resident of Govind Nagar, who was trapped by one Jajmau’s resident Asif Shah alias Nafiz also belonged to a Brahmin Family. Muskaan’s family had alleged Asif first befriended Muskaan and then brainwashed her into embracing Islam with the use of ‘back magic’ and some occult practices. She was forcefully converted and married off to Asif.

In fact, owing to this case, Juhi colony’s Shalini Yadav’s case and several such cases reported from different parts of the state, the Uttar Pradesh police have constituted a special investigating team (SIT) to probe allegations of ‘Love Jihad’ and forced conversion.

Possibility of banned radical organisations like PFI and SIMI being behind the funding of the ongoing ‘Love Jihad racket’ in Kanpur

The SIT, which has come across at least 9 such cases of recent past, has decided to broaden the scope of its investigation and probe the alleged role of the banned radical organisations like Popular Front of India (PFI) and SIMI behind the funding of the ongoing ‘Love Jihad’ racket in Kanpur.

Pertinently, the banned radical Islamic organisations like PFI and SIMI are notoriously known for funding various anti-national activities. Last year in December, during the anti-CAA protests that had literally engulfed the entire country, an Intelligence report shared with the Ministry of Home Affairs had pointed to some ‘political parties’ and banned radical Islamist outfits like SIMI and PFI for being behind the violent protests in several places across the country.

According to a Zee report, Pakistan funding might also be involved in the Love Jihad conspiracies that have been rearing its ugly head across the country, especially in Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, according to Inspector General (IG) Kanpur, Mohit Agarwal, who set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Superintendent of Police south Deepak Bhuker, to probe the matter, there is a large possibility that these Islamic outfit is trying to spread ‘jihad’ across the length and breadth of the state by providing financial assistance to a handful of organizations that are involved in such anti-national acts.

He has instructed the team to collect information about such organizations and such people from the mobile numbers of the accused.

The Hindu organisation Bajrang Dal, which has also been working on the ground level to rescue the distraught and vulnerable Hindu women from the clutches of these supposed extremists, has written a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressing concerns and urging him to take action. Ramji Tiwari, State Secretary, Bajrang Dal, speaking to the media also reiterated that a handful of organizations that are involved in anti-national acts.

Calling the ‘Love Jihad menace a well-planned conspiracy that is happening on a large scale in the country, he Ramji Tiwai said that it is an attempt to push the nation towards civil war. Ramji Tiwari added that these fundamentalists are spreading hatred towards the majority of Hindu society in India, they regularly engage in efforts to destabilize the country and trying to tarnish the cultural heritage of India.

He also opined that these cartels are operating at the behest of the Islamist organisations, who are providing the former with funding and logistical aides and these cartels are in turn helping the Islamists to spread their fanatical agenda and destabilize the country.

Notably, if these ‘Love Jihad’ cases are studied collectively, a specific pattern emerges. Muslim youths pretend to be Hindus by making fake IDs online and offline. Wear Kalava and sport a Tilak while chasing a Hindu girl. After a few weeks, they befriend them and establish physical relations. In most cases, the act is filmed. Using the recording, the pressure is created to convert and marry. Most of the marriages are done under Sharia law where women have to convert. The girls are usually in 15-20 years age group.

With no economic security and often dumped by their natal families for marrying a Muslim, these girls get trapped in an abusive relationship and a deeply unequal marital contract where women have no rights. When they protest, they are either beaten, left by the men and in some cases even killed.

Recent cases of ‘Love Jihad’ in Kanpur

Several love Jihad cases have emerged in Kanpur in the last few days. It started with the case of Shalini Yadav that was reported on 21st August. The case of Shalini Yadav started a domino effect, and other cases began to emerge. On 28th August, a case was reported in which Lucky Khan allegedly befriended a minor Hindu girl and took objectional photos to blackmail her. On 29th August, another case came in the light where a Hindu girl’s family claimed that Nafiz trapped their daughter and forcefully converted and married her.