VHP begins ‘love jihad’ stir after alleged abduction of girl by bootlegger in Gujarat

Although Tuesday morning began amid much normalcy for the business town of Nadiad, the VHP has warned the district administration of another stir on Wednesday if the accused bootlegger, Masum Mahida is not arrested. On Monday, the VHP successfully enforced a bandh in the town, holding a protest march against the administration for “failing to control” the bootlegger.

In their memorandum to the District Collector and SP Sachin Badshah, the VHP has alleged that the case is a “clear example of Love Jihad, where Muslim men lure Hindu girls to convert to Islam through marriage”.

The VHP memorandum alleges that “Hindu sisters and daughters are being lured to renounce their faith under a conspiracy.”

SP Badshah told The Indian Express that the police was not concerned with the allegation of “love jihad” and it was probing the case of abduction filed by the parents of the 21-year-old girl on Sunday. Badshah said, “The parents of the girl have alleged that their daughter has been abducted and the police is probing the case. Once we find them, we will question the girl if she was indeed abducted. The accused is a bootlegger and has other cases against under the Arms Act, Prohibition cases as well as assault. He is 42 years old and married with two children. We have to study all the evidence as Masum’s wife also lives in his house. We are only probing the case of abduction filed by the parents, and not any Love jihad allegations made by outfit.”

Badshah said that Mahida’s brother, a known bootlegger, also ran his business from Ramol village.