Love is ‘pavitra’ but its use as arm to target some group is wrong: RSS leader at ‘love jihad’ book launch

Senior RSS functionary J Nandkumar at the book launch in the national capital on Wednesday.

Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary J Nandkumar on Wednesday insisted that love is ‘pavitra’ but its use as an arm to target some group is wrong. Nandkumar made this comment during the launch of a book titled ‘Ek Mukhauta Aisa Bhi’ (A Mask Like This) – a collection of stories on love jihad by a firm that is part of a newly-formed group of publishers associated with the RSS- at the ongoing World Book Fair in the national capital.

The 86-page book, with the tagline “Love Jihad Par Kendrit Kahani Sangrah”, includes 15 stories on the topic authored by Dr Vandana Gandhi, a teacher of sociology and education in Bhopal. The book has been published by Archana Prakashan. Archana Prakashan is part of Rashtriya Sahitya Sangam, a group of 12 publishers from various parts of the country.

Chief Executive of Archana Prakashan Om Prakash Gupta had earlier told The Indian Express that the book is based on true stories of incidents of love jihad. “Only the names of the victims and other characters have been changed. It is being published to create awareness among Hindu girls,” he had said.

Apart from Archana Prakashan, the group includes: Suruchi Prakashan, Jammu-Kashmir Adhyyan Kendra and Sanskrit Bharti (Delhi); Kurukshetra Prakashan (Kochi); Lokhit Prakashan (Lucknow); Sahitya Sadhana Trust (Ahmedabad); Sahitya Niketan (Hyderabad); Akashwani Prakashan (Jalandhar); Bharatiya Sanskriti Prachar Samiti (Cuttack); Gyan Ganga Prakashan (Jaipur); and Shreebharti Prakashan (Nagpur). READ MORE