NEW DELHI: A Kolkata-based inter-faith couple named in a Hindutva Facebook ‘love jihad’ list lodged a police complaint alleging death threats requesting the police to take immediate action.
According to a report in the Indian Express, the couple is being harassed on social media after a list of around 100 interfaith couples went viral. “We… Have been targeted by a group of people… We were further subjected to death threats, so far I am aware of, such situation of causing harm to us, and/or spreading hatred in the name of religion are offences under the India Penal Code, 1860. In such view of the matter, you are requested to take immediate steps against such activities,” the couple’s police complain says.
The man, who registered the complaint, said they are being targeted in an organised manner. “Thereafter unknown people started dropping messages warning my girlfriend about love jihad and not to meet with the person she loves. She blocked some of them but the rest continued. She is now off social media. Someone meticulously searched and made the list of so many couples. There has to be a team behind this,” he told the Indian Express.
Speaking to News18, Joint Commissioner of Police, Praveen Kumar Tripathi confirmed of receiving a complaint and is investigating the matter.
A few days ago, a pro-Hindutva Facebook page called Hindu Vrata made the list public on Facebook and Twitter asking its Hindus followers to “hunt down” the men involved.
The list went quite viral on Facebook and Twitter in January. “Yeh ek suchi hai un hindu ladkiyonke Facebook profile ki jo love jihad ka shikar ho chuki hain yah ho rahi hain… har Hindu sher se aagrah hai, inme jo ladke hain, unki khoj ke shikaar karein. (This is a list of Facebook profiles of Hindu women who are victims of love jihad… We exhort all Hindu tigers, those men (listed in these profiles), find them and hunt them,” said a post that has been deleted.
Courtesy: The Wire
“Hindu girls are converting to Islam by Love Jihad…Wake up HINDUS otherwise you will lose your homeland INDIA.” Biplab Chattopadhyay, who said he is a member of the VHP, posted on another group called Milan Mela.
Others, whose name cropped up in the list are in agony and have expressed fear for their life.