Karnataka’s Hubballi erupts in tense protest over ‘Love Jihad’ accusation
Bengaluru: A wave of tension swept through Hubballi, Karnataka, after a 23-year-old Muslim gym trainer, Sameer Mulla, was assaulted by members of Hindutva groups over accusations of “love jihad”.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the incident has sparked widespread concern and outrage, with many questioning the rising tide of Islamophobia in India.
Mulla was abducted and beaten by a group of people, including members of Hindutva outfits, at his home in Vijayanagar over allegation of being involved with a Hindu girl. His sister, Taiseem Mulla, said the girl’s parents were aware of the relationship, and Sameer’s disappearance led to a second clash between the two families.
The police, however, have downplayed the incident, treating it as a criminal case arising from a personal dispute between two families rather than a case of “love jihad”. Hubballi Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar stated, “It was found that the issue was related to a relationship between the youth and a girl.
The girl’s family members had come to threaten the boy.”The incident has reignited the contentious “love jihad” debate in Karnataka, a state that has witnessed similar allegations and political discourse in the past.
The term “love jihad” is used by right-wing groups to describe Muslim men having relationship with Hindu women for religious conversion. Sameer Mulla’s family alleges that he was subjected to violence and intimidation, while the girl’s family claims she was “hypnotised and harassed”.
