The proposed law criminalises consensual relationships, stigmatises Muslims as cultural outsiders, and risks polarising society, warn analysts
GUWAHATI – The Himanta Biswa Sarma government in Assam has announced plans to introduce a new law widely criticised as targeting the state’s Muslim population. The proposed legislation, described as an anti-‘Love Jihad’ measure, would impose life imprisonment for men accused of forcing religious conversions through marriage and even allow for the arrest of their parents.
Announced on 22 October, the bill forms part of a package of proposed legislation covering polygamy and land rights for tea tribes. Yet it is the ‘Love Jihad’ measure that has drawn the sharpest backlash from politicians, analysts, and civil society.
Chief Minister Sarma, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), hailed the proposal as “historic” and a “shield for social harmony.” However, critics contend that the law reflects a pattern of exclusionary politics, portraying Assam’s 34 percent Muslim population as a threat to the state’s so-called ‘indigenous’ identity.
“This is completely vague. This is a false Hindutva narrative,” said Aman Wadud, spokesperson for the opposition Congress Party. “One community is being targeted. Individual cases of forced conversion should be handled under existing laws, not through divisive legislation introduced before elections.”
Wadud highlighted that Assam’s proposal far exceeds similar measures in other states. “Uttar Pradesh’s 2020 Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance prescribes up to 10 years in prison. Assam’s plan goes further, imposing life imprisonment and targeting parents,” he explained.
Data from BJP-governed states shows no evidence of a rise in marriages between Muslim men and Hindu women. In Assam’s mixed-faith districts, where Hindus, Muslims, and tribal communities have coexisted for generations, experts warn that the bill could erode trust and weaken communal harmony.
Prof Nadira Khatun, a communication specialist at XIM University, Odisha, argued that the law reflects ongoing right-wing propaganda. “The entire discourse around ‘love jihad’ mirrors right-wing narratives: Muslims, or ‘they,’ are imagined as trying to outnumber Hindus,” she said. “By criminalising consensual relationships, the bill turns private relationships into subjects of state surveillance and punishment, stigmatising Muslims as ‘cultural others.’”
Khatun also highlighted the broader pattern of restrictions on Muslims in BJP strongholds, including ban on beef consumption, hijab prohibitions, and changes to property laws. “These laws cultivate fear and reinforce a sense of unity through psychological violence, where women’s bodies are politicised as instruments of nationalism,” she explained.
The timing of the proposed law is particularly concerning. Analysts note it comes ahead of Assam’s 2026 elections and risks diverting public attention from pressing challenges, such as annual floods that displace millions. “These measures cultivate fear and scapegoat a community, while real issues like floods and livelihoods are ignored,” Khatun added.
Ameer Ali, professor of political science at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, dismissed the “love jihad” narrative as “absurd.” He described it as a long-standing political tactic by the BJP, portraying “hyper-masculine, sexually aggressive young Muslim men deliberately seducing innocent Hindu girls.” Ali emphasised that no credible data supports these claims.
“The implementation of such laws reflects the moral bankruptcy of politics in India — and particularly, the targeting of Muslims,” he said. “Chief Minister Sarma’s deeply hateful rhetoric fuels animosity and casts Muslims as second-class citizens.”
Ali further highlighted the normalisation of bigotry through labels such as “flood jihad” and “spit jihad,” noting that these terms are used to marginalise Muslims and deepen societal divisions.
With the BJP seeking to consolidate support in minority-dominated constituencies, analysts warn that the legislation is likely part of a broader electoral strategy. “Ahead of elections, the party is polarising Muslim voters, building on its success in winning by-elections through a politics of ‘justice over appeasement,’” said Ali.
As the debate intensifies, opposition leaders, legal experts, and civil society organisations call for caution, warning that the bill threatens to destabilise Assam’s delicate social fabric. The proposed anti-‘love jihad’ law may thus mark another flashpoint in the country’s fraught discussions on religion, identity, and minority rights.
