On January 2, 2023, Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel instructed his party workers to prioritise the issue of love jihad over discussions on infrastructure and development. Ironically, the BJP government in the state has no official definition for love jihad. In response to a question asked by Congress’ Priyank Kharge, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that the government has no official definition for the term.

“How does the government define love jihad?” the Congress legislator asked in a starred question. “There is no official definition for love jihad. There is no section for action against it under the Indian Penal Code,” the response from the Home Minister read. The Home Minister added that under the new Karnataka Protection of Freedom of Religion Act, three cases relating to love jihad have been filed—one each from Bengaluru City, Mandya, and Chitradurga. In each of the cases, one person had been arrested.

Love jihad refers to a bogey spread by right-wing organisations alleging that Muslim men ‘trap’ Hindu and Christian women into marrying them and force them to convert to Islam. Love jihad has been a major election issue for the BJP across the country for many years, and is one of the biggest talking points ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections. This is despite the BJP-led Union government telling the Lok Sabha that no case of love jihad has been booked by central agencies.

The Karnataka government tabled the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2022, in the Assembly in December 2021. With the BJP not having a majority in the Legislative Council, an Ordinance was passed on May 17, 2022. After elections to the Council and BJP getting the required numbers, the Bill was passed on September 15.