'Love jihad' is a social problem now embedded in religion: Uma Bharti

Ahmedabad, Sept 22: Amid a raging debate over 'love jihad', senior BJP leader and Union Minister Uma Bharti on Monday said it is a "social problem" which has now come into the ambit of religion, and that "solution" to it can be found only by parents concerned and religious leaders.

"Love jihad is a social problem which has now came into the frame of religion. I don't want to comment further on this issue," the Union Water Resources Minister said during her interaction with media in Siddhpur town of north Gujarat today.

'Love jihad' is a term coined by some Hindu groups for alleged efforts to get non-Muslim girls to convert to Islam through love affairs. The issue came to centrestage in recent bypolls in Uttar Pradesh where some BJP MPs raised it aggressively.

Some BJP leaders from party-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh too have raise the bogey of 'love jihad' and demanded ban on non-Hindu youths from entering pandals meant for performing 'garba', a devotional dance in the praise of goddess Durga, in upcoming Navratri festival.

"The solution to this problem should be brought by parents and religious leaders, not by us. Government's work is to tackle the law and order situation. Thus, if some law and order situation arises in connection with this issue, we will tackle it," Bharti said.

PTI