NALSAR UNIVERSITY OF LAW

NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL STUDY

OF
LOVE-JIHAD CONTOVERSEY

SOCIOLOGY PROJECT

SUBMITTED BY
VEDANT DIKSHIT
ROLL NO.:- 2014-71
COURSE: - B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) II nd SEMESTER

SUBMITTED TO
Dr. T. KANNAN
1

CONTENTS
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................3
METHODOLOGY...........................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................4
ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUE.............................................................................................................5
CONTRAST BETWEEN ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS NEWSPAPERS......................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
BIBLIOGRAPHY...........................................................................................................................11

ABSTRACT

As clear from the title itself this project aims to study the way in which various editorials
studied the issue of Love Jihad. The project mainly underlines the argument that Love Jihad
which is a recent controversy is actually not a controversy but an artificially made issue for
the self benefit of some organisations and these organisations instead of portraying the actual
cause and both sides of story, are showing and highlighting only the negative side. This
preposition is proved and other side of story is discussed by studying the editorial of much
neutral Newspapers and hence a contrast is provided.
Along with this, it is also been showed in this project that how after so many years of
independence and so called modernity, marriage as an institution is still not independent
from the strings of religion, caste, race, gender etc and still experiences a huge societal
pressure.

METHODOLOGY
The project is strictly based on the editorial of various newspapers collected mainly through
Internet sources from their official websites. Also, some of the editorials are collected from
their newspaper itself. The editorials are taken from the official websites of the Newspaper,
stable links are provided along with the title of the editorial.
Scope: The scope of this project is to analyze the issue of the Love Jihad as presented by
the various Newspaper elements and what stand has been taken by the Newspaper. Further
doing the analysis of the editorials and either supporting or problemtising it, thus giving a
neutral picture of issue.
Limitation: The limitation of this project is that First, limited number of editorial could be
studied over the issue and claims are generalised from these limited resources. Second, Most
of editorial are in vernacular language, thus making it difficult for the instructor to
comprehend them in their original form. Third, editorial of many well renowned newspapers
such as The Hindu; Times of India could not be studied due to their inaccessibility in online
media in my finding.
3

INTRODUCTION
Marriage and Religion although are two very different social structures but share a deep and
potent relation. Many social institutions affect marriage like caste, class, status, religion etc.
Among these institutions religion is the major institution that affects marriages. Common
notion of the Indian society is that marriage should be done within the same religion but when
this notion is breached, it creates anomalies. Propagators of such orthodox notion try to curb
such relations and often try to shift the basis of such inter-religion marriage from love as
motive to selfishness as motive behind marriage. One such example of this that gained much
attention by the news-media of India in the year 2014 was the so called Love Jihad issue.
Inter-religion marriages were always considered as a bone of contention by the society
especially in Indian context, when it is between a Hindu and a Muslim. Inter-religion
marriages challenge various norms, customs and passions of religious fundamentalists who
start feeling identity crisis to an extent. The "threat" of such intimacies often results into
fanaticism, "constructed" campaigns expressing the anxieties, identity crisis and fears of
conservative forces. In India, the Hindu right and Hindutva particularly has been a master at
creating panics and anxiety around expressions of love, be it the Valentine Day, Homosexual
love1 or Inter-caste and Inter-religious romance, posing them as one of the biggest threats 2 to
cohesive community identities and boundaries.3
The reason for selecting the issue was to understand the point that how people are shown only
one side of the love jihad issue but as there are always two sides to a coin, this issue of Love
jihad also has two sides, first, inter-religion marriage based on love and second inter-religion
marriage for sole motive of conversion. Many time instead of showing two faces of the coin
only one is shown, this project tries to uncover that hidden side by analyzing editorials of
different newspapers and try to know the reason for hiding the side. Through this project it has
been analyzed that editorial of which kind of Newspaper has taken what stand and were
inclined towards which reason more as the cause or motive of inter-religion marriage and
1
Charu Gupta, Hindu Women, Muslim Men: Love Jihad and Conversions, 44 Economic and
Political Weekly 1315 (2009)
2

Id

3 Id
4

which newspaper has taken a neutral stand and how aptly the whole problem has been
analyzed seeing all the perspectives of the inter-religion marriage aka love jihad issue.

ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUE

1. Newspaper Editorial Study of Rastriya Swamsevak Sanghs (R.S.S) newspaper

PANCHJANYA
E.1 Editorial: Apni Baat, Love Jihad aur Jane ka Darpan 4: The editorial started with the
research done by Jane Gudol on nature of chimpanzees, that often he-chimpanzees of one
group to increase their population attract she-chimpanzees of other group, editorial draws an
analogy of it with a Hindu girl and Muslim boys marriage. It continuously tried to portray
that the motive of a Muslim boy is always to increase the population of their community and
communal benefits. It missed to understand the most pristine feeling of love that can actually
develop between two being irrespective of their religion, caste, age and sex. The editorial left
no attempt to prove Muslim equivalent to animals, barbaric and primitive. The main theme
which emerged out of the editorial and is conclusive too is that an inter-religion marriage, due
to political, social and religious benefits of RSS has been pictured as a marriage with no love,
compassion and care in it. The only motive of such marriage is presented as community
benefits. This outlook of the editorial becomes the cause of it being problematic as the
emotions like love, compassion which were marginalized in editorials are actually central
focus of every marriage.
E.2 Editorial: Love Jihad, Prem ka Gorakhdhanda5: The editorial from the very beginning
was inclined toward demerits of marrying with a Muslim man. The point was further
strengthened by giving the reference of some recent cases of conversion through marriage and
violence against Hindu wives thereof. The basic pre-assumption that flow throughout the
editorial was that, a Hindu girl when gets married to a Muslim man always lives a sorrowful
4 : , PANCHJANYA, Aug. 14, 2014
http://panchjanya.com/Encyc/2014/8/30/------- --.aspx?Pa Last accessed
Jan. 21, 2015.

''

,
PANCHJANYA,
Oct.
4,
2014,
http://panchjanya.com//Encyc/2014/10/4/-------- .aspx, Last accessed Jan. 20, 2015.

and miserable life and this was the assumption that was problematical to the neutrality of the
editorial. In the cases given in the editorial, the violence that happened against the Hindu
women was wisely transformed and portrayed as the root cause of the violence was marriage
with Muslim man. The most important notion of marriage i.e. love which can actually develop
between two beings and is far much above the notion of caste, race, religion was surpassed
and the sole notion of a inter-religion marriage was showed just to increase the population of
the community and communal purposes.
As observing the continuous pattern of the editorials that emerged out from my study it is
quite clear that RSS condemned the marriage between a Hindu girl and Muslim boy and tried
to present a very bias picture in front of the society. Earlier the editorial tried to shake the
basis of marriage by shifting its focus from love to communal motive and later included the
point that the Hindu girl after marriage lives a miserable life with reference to some cases.
Editorials condemn the marriage of Hindu girl and Muslim boy and named it as a form of
Jihad which in itself is ridiculous, but remained silent on issue when marriage is between a
Hindu boy and a Muslim girl. It clearly points out their bias behaviour and intention to curb
inter-religious marriages by calling it as a form of Jihad to develop a sense of fear and
disbelieve in mind of Hindu girls for Muslim men. These editorials made marriage which is a
highly private institution public and source of just communal benefit. This very idea is
disastrous and against the spirit of nationality and fraternity.
2. Newspaper Editorial Study of Shivsenas newspaper SAAMNA
E.3 Editorial: 'Love Jihad' an international conspiracy to destroy Hindu culture6: The editorial
by the Shivsena depicted marriage between a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy as an international
phenomenon with an international motive of terrorist organisation like Lashkar-e-Taiba, SIMI,
Al-Queda to convert whole India into a Islamic State. The attempt of Shivsena to portray
inter-religion marriage as devastating was almost like that of RSS but Shivsena further
extended it to an international level of conspiracy and communal motive. The inter-religion
marriage has been called as threat to Hindu culture, however with no reasonable reason. The
first problematic point was that, the editorial made certain claims but lacked the proper and
legitimate justification and substantiation of the claims. As an analysis of this editorial, the
marriage between a Hindu girl and Muslim boy has been condemned in all possible way, even
connecting it to various terrorist organizations. The personal choice of an individual is kept far
6 'Love Jihad' an international conspiracy to destroy Hindu culture SAAMNA, Sep. 10. 2014.
6

more below the social and religious benefit to the community. Girls choice even in matter as
personal as marriage is made a step for the political benefits in this editorial. This whole idea
is superficial and is just one more way very well crafted to curb the inter-religion marriages
and gain social and political benefits from the controversy created. As a combined study of the
editorials published by the politically active groups RSS and Shivsena, a common theme
which could be traced out is:
In the editorials the very concept of Love Jihad that does not exist or hardly exists is made
to exist for the Political, Social and Religious benefits of certain groups. Making an interreligion marriage problematic and linking it with a communal motive so that the love and care
which act as a tying string in marriage could break and moreover no such marriage could
happen by developing such fear seems to be the basis of this whole concept. Majorly these
editorials lacked various important features like choice of women, actual love between two
persons etc and just placed emphasis on communal benefits as a characteristic feature in interreligion marriages.
3. Newspaper Editorial Study of THE INDIAN EXPRESS
E.4 Editorial: Sacred space7: The editorial talked about the role of Judiciary contrasting two
judgements one of Allahabad High court8 and of Karnataka High court.9 The editorial focused
on judiciary to be more sensible over the issue of Love Jihad and act as protector of the person
who have done inter religion marriage with their choice and as punisher to the person who
have forcibly converted someone to other religion. The editorial analyzed both the side of
issues aptly, that although many inter religion marriage happens with consent but still there are
many cases in which conversion is through coercion, undue-influence etc. The editorial due to
this reason is appreciable. The whole issue that has been gaining such an air can only be
curbed by the effective role and engagement of judiciary. Whenever individual freedoms are
being cramped and encroached upon, it is the judiciary that must act as the guarantor of
fundamental liberties. More often than not, the courts in India have lived up to that
7
Sacred
space,
THE
INDIAN
EXPRESS ,
Dec.
22,
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/sacred-space/ , Last Accessed Jan-26-2014.

Id Para 1

Id Para 2
7

2014,

responsibility. Inter-faith marriage, and conversion, except in proven cases of coercion, is a

choice that the judiciary must recognise and protect. Even the constitution of India in Article
25 to Article 28 guarantee right to profess any religion encompassing right to convert in it too,
but that conversion should happen without any coercion, undue influence and without
deceiving any one. In case any of the elements are present judiciary must take a proper and
strict action. The very element of love is very pristine and pure; it should not be exploited or
diluted by making it a tool for conversion. Marriage is an institution that forms the basis of
society and furtherance of this society, it should not be abased and raped to fulfil ones
communal or political motive.
4. Newspaper Editorial Study of DAINIK BHASKAR
E.5 Editorial: Love Jihad nahi, modern mission jaruri 10: The editorial aptly presented the
situation and analyzed this whole situation in a critical way. The editorial starts with the
paradox that has been created. On one hand, BJP talks about the development and getting away
from communal tensions and on the other hand its helping branches such as RSS still professes
such communal ideas. Analyzing the whole situation the Political benefit behind it was quite
clear although BJP could not get it. This whole controversy that has been created is no more
than another way to kill two birds with a stone, first a new way to curb inter-religious
marriage, second political benefit from fanatic Hindus.
The second thing pointed out in editorial was that patriarchy is another notion of society due
to which this concept of Love Jihad emerged. Giving the advices to women to be away from
Muslim boys is clear example of this deeply rooted concept of patriarchy. This clearly
indicates how much still our thinking and thought process with regard to women is backward.
A Hindu girl should be married to a Hindu boy and that to of same caste, irrespective of her
choice. This shows even after so many years of Independence how much in matter of marriage
constrained and orthodox we are with the strings of the religion, caste etc. Marriage as an
institution still needs to get independence from strings of caste, religion race and especially
from the contractors of religion.

10 , , DANIK BHASKAR, Sep. 24, 2014, http://www.bhaskar.com/news-srh/ABHbhaskar-editorial-on-love-jihad-by-gurucharan-das-4755100-NOR.html, Last Accessed Jan. 26 2014.

CONTRAST BETWEEN ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS NEWSPAPERS

From the analysis of the issue through editorials a deeper and vibrant picture of the issue is
framed. Inter-faith marriages which have been always under the controversy and allegation
got a new allegation of Love Jihad but as all other social phenomenon this also had two
sides and different newspapers highlighted different sides and tried to portray that side as the
sole side. Newspapers that were studied in this project can be broadly classified as, ProHinduism Newspapers, Non Pro-Hinduism Newspaper.
Pro-Hinduism Newspapers: Newspaper editorials of RSSs Panchjanya and Shivsenas
Saamna can be considered under this category. These editorials portrayed only the negative
side of the Love Jihad that too by exaggerating the situation. These organisations saw this
concept of Love Jihad as new tool to condemn the inter-religion marriage as well as to gain
political benefits. In these editorials the only thing considered as cause of inter-religion
marriage was communal motive and increasing population of ones community. No place was
even given for love which can actually develop between two individuals. Other factors like
love, choice to convert etc were neither observed nor discussed; the whole issue was portrayed
as these inter-religion marriages are with sole motive to destroy Hindu culture. Editorials even
called it a planned mission of SIMI, Al-Queda etc. The most problematic thing in these
editorials was non-observation and non-portraying the other side of the issue and presenting a
bias picture in front of the society.
Non Pro-Hinduism Newspaper: Editorial of The Indian Express, Business Standard and
Danik Bhaskar can be considered under this category. The editorial as compared to earlier
newspapers editorial portrayed a neutral picture. These editorials not just showed both the
sides of the coin but also gave a remedial way to do away with the artificially made
controversy of Love Jihad. These editorials raised the most fundamental issue Patriarchy
which is the basis of this whole issue and is ignored by the pro-Hindu newspaper. It
highlighted our backwardness in the matter of marriages. They also commented on the
intention of ruling party BJP, which is continuously claiming about development and its
supportive organisation like RSS, VHP are showing such an orthodox backwardness through
their editorials. Finally as a course of action the way to judiciary was also showed to preserve
the inter-religion marriages and punish the conversion based due to coercion fraud etc. Hence,
9

editorial under this head were subject to less criticism and hence were more credible and
relevant.

CONCLUSION

The project has led the researcher to the following conclusions:

(i) The issue of love jihad has been misunderstood and a bias picture of it is presented before
the society by the organisation like RSS, Shivsena etc who see their political and social
benefit in doing so. Furthermore, for fundamentalist it is a new tool which can be used to
shake the roots of an inter-faith marriage by ploughing the seed of suspect in mind of the
girl that the motive of the Muslim boy to marry her is to convert her into Islam not love.
(ii) The root of this whole anxiety is the patriarchy which considers women just a source of
producing children. A system in which her choice even in matter of marriage is not free
and in case she tries to move out of such constrain and marry outside religion every
possible way is adopted to delegitimize and assault the martial relationship.
(iii) There are two sides to the issue. First, Relation in which irrespective of faith, love
develops between two individual, second, the intentional marriage with motive to convert
the girl; a person must understand this and should not make a generalised assumption just
one the basis of one side of the issue.
(iv) Marriage as an institution is still not independent from the strings of religion, caste, race,
gender etc and still experiences a huge societal pressure even after so many years of
independence. Instead of madly copying the Western world under the false claims of
modernisation we should actually become modern by our thoughts and should free
institutions like marriage, education from constrains of caste, religion, gender,
nationality, race.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Newspaper (studied)
1. The Indian Express
2. Danik Bhaskar
3. Panchjaynya
4. Saamna
Newspaper (used as supplement to get better understanding of the Issue)
1. Business Standard
2. The Hindu
Article
1. Hindu Women, Muslim Men: Love Jihad and Conversion by Charu Gupta.

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