Kerala Church Endorses BJP Leader’s Unfounded ‘Love Jihad’ Claims
Syro-Malabar Church’s Troubling Support for P.C. George’s Divisive Rhetoric
March 13, 2025
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Kerala, P.C. George, who is facing charges of hate speech, made unsubstantiated claims at a public event that around 400 girls from the state’s Meenachil Taluk in Kottayam district were victims of the so-called “love jihad.” The Syro-Malabar Church chose to publicly endorse George’s narrative.
“Love jihad,” a term popularised by Hindu nationalist groups, refers to an alleged conspiracy in which Muslim men marry Hindu or Christian women with the intent of religious conversion.
PTI quoted George as saying at a conference in Pala, “In Meenachil Taluk alone, we have lost around 400 girls to love jihad. Only 41 have been recovered. Just last Saturday (March 8), a girl left. She was 25 years old. She left at 9.30 pm. We are still searching for her.”
George urged Christian parents to marry their daughters early, suggesting the age of 22 as an upper limit. He blamed delayed marriages for these supposed “losses” and demeaned parents who did not adhere to his recommendations. He questioned the decency of parents who allow their daughters to remain unmarried beyond this age, even reportedly suggesting physical violence against those who fail in this so-called duty.
George also drew unverified comparisons to Muslim families, stating they marry off daughters at 18 because they allegedly prioritise marriage over education. The suggestion is being seen as regressive and patriarchal and infringing upon women’s autonomy while also perpetuating stereotypes that restrict women’s choices under the guise of protection.
The Kerala High Court recently denied anticipatory bail to George, explicitly citing repeated violations of bail conditions in previous hate speech cases. Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan notably observed the necessity for mandatory jail sentences in hate speech offences. George previously faced legal action for labelling all Muslims in India as terrorists and communalists during a TV discussion.
The Syro-Malabar Church’s Public Affairs Commission released an official statement to support George’s accusations about “drug trafficking, love traps and terrorist activities,” saying they were based on facts. The church urged government authorities to launch high-level investigations without verification of George’s claims.
This comes about eight years after a woman named Hadiya from Kerala converted to Islam and married Shafin Jahan, in 2017. Her father challenged the marriage, alleging coercion and forced conversion, leading the Kerala High Court to annul the marriage and grant him custody. However, in March 2018, the Supreme Court of India overturned this decision, upholding Hadiya’s right to choose her religion and spouse, thereby reaffirming individual autonomy in matters of faith and marriage.
A 2023 book, titled “Love Jihad and Other Fictions” and authored by three journalists, Sreenivasan Jain, Mariyam Alavi and Supriya Sharma, debunked widely circulated conspiracy theories in India, including “love jihad” and “population jihad.”
“Population jihad” suggests Muslims are having more children than other groups to increase their population in India. The aim is seen as dominating other religious populations. Like “love jihad,” this theory lacks evidence and is critiqued for creating communal divisions.
In an interview with The Hindu at the time, Jain expressed his concern over the recycling of these theories in media, despite clear evidence refuting them. The book uses facts and journalism to settle debates influenced by political agendas.
The authors investigated the origins of love jihad, tracing back to the first known case. They also examined a comprehensive list of alleged love jihad instances. They also analyse demographic data and parliamentary records to evaluate the claim that Muslims could surpass the Hindu population in the foreseeable future.
