A local newspaper reported that the president of Sri Ram Sene, Pramod Muthalik, on the last day of the All India Hindu Convention, alleged that a minority community is engaged in a conspiracy of ‘Love Jihad’, to lure Hindu girls.
Muthalik alleged,“The subject community, earlier called green serpents by Bal Thackeray, is involved in a conspiracy called ‘Love Jihad’ wherein Hindu, young women are systematically lured in the name of love and soiled’.
Muthalik went on to elaborate, “It is an international conspiracy. It is a Jihad for love but there is no love in it. It is only a conspiracy to net Hindu women in the name of love.”
“Hindu organisations are going to work together for establishing a national helpline for the protection of young Hindu girls who have fallen prey to Love Jihad. Also legal help for their parents, purification andrehabilitation of the young women desiring to return to Hindu dharma.”
To me, this sounded like the typical ranting and raving of the lunatic fringes of the Sangh Parivar. Like their reactions to Valentine’s Day and Pub crawling. Boys and girls holding hands in public. Using western clothing like jeans, which ultimately lead to modern feminism. Like Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, he believes that modern feminism is Satan’s greatest victory since Original Sin.
My English teacher friend reacted differently. She said, “This guy Pramod sounds like an idiot on oxygen who should be kept in an I.C.U.” When she noticed the incomprehension on my face, she sat down to explain.
She said, “Jihad and love are opposites. You can’t make love and war at the same time. Women’s groups will call it rape! That’s why I compared Pramod’s words to an Idiot on oxygen. ‘Love Jihad’ is clearly an Oxymoron.”
