Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad took a dig at BJP MP Hema Malini and her husband Dharmendra on Sunday asking whether their marriage was 'love jihad'
Outlining the point that yesteryear's Bollywood heartthrobs Hema and Dharmendra had converted to Islam at the time of their wedding, the Congress leader said that only BJP could answer whether it was love jihad.
Ahmad posted on the micro-blogging site Twitter - “Present BJP MP Hema Malini and Dharmendra (14th Lok Sabha) were converted to Islam at the time of their marriage. Was it "Love Jihad"? Only BJP can say.”
Akhilesh takes jibe at BJP on love jihad, cites Hema's movie
Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav took a pot-shot at BJP for raising the issue of 'love jihad' by suggesting that its MP Hema had no qualms about acting in movies which showed such relationships.
"You hear the song of BJP MP's flim 'Dharmatma'. Will it promote love or not," Yadav told reporters while replying to queries on issue of 'love jihad' raised by BJP in its UP executive meet, as per PTI.
The CM was referring to actor-turned politician and Mathura MP's 1975 movie which also starred Feroz Khan.
'Love jihad' is a term coined by some Hindu groups for alleged efforts to get non-Muslim girls to convert to Islam through love affairs.
BJP drops mention of 'love jihad' from resolution
Meanwhile, after breathing fire over 'love jihad', BJP dropped any mention of it in the political resolution at its two-day state executive meet that concluded in Mathura today.
'Love Jihad', especially in the western parts of Uttar Pradesh, has been taken up by BJP as a big challenge ahead of the Assembly elections three years hence as part of its moves to consolidate the party base in the state.
In his inaugural address yesterday, state party chief Laxmikant Bajpai had asked youths to be vigilant on the issue of 'love jihad', questioning whether men of the minority community have got the licence to convert and rape women of majority community.
However, interestingly, the political resolution passed today did not have any reference to 'love jihad'.
When asked why the resolution was silent on 'love jihad', Bajpai, when contacted, said, "It was not on the agenda, so there is no question of having it in the resolution."
After its grand performance in the Lok Sabha elections in the state, where it bagged 71 of the 80 seats, BJP asked its workers to strengthen the organisation from the booth level so that it can come to power in the state with thumping majority.
With PTI inputs
First Published: Sunday, August 24, 2014, 20:54
