Another idea from Hindutva lab: ‘bahu lao-beti bachao’

Lalmani Verma, ENS, Lucknow, December 27, 2014: After “love jihad” and “ghar wapsi”, now its “bahu lao-beti bachao” campaign. Notwithstanding the controversy generated over the first two, Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, has announced the launch of “bahu lao-beti bachao” campaign.

Under it, they will “protect Hindu boys who marry Muslim or Christian girls” and will also create awareness among Hindu families “to protect their girls from falling in love or getting married to Muslim or Christian boys”.

Bajrang Dal will launch the campaign from February 17 in Uttar Pradesh. Its office bearers here have already discussed the campaign at the “Hindu Sammelan” that the VHP recently organised across the country to mark its golden jubilee. VHP is an offshoot of Rashrtiya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Bajrang Dal state convenor Ajju Chauhan told The Indian Express that the “bahu lao-beti bachao” campaign will be a reply to “love jihad” and will seek to bring girls from Muslim or Christian communities as daughters-in-laws for Hindu families.

“In ‘love jihad’, Muslim youths use fake identity of being a Hindu to marry Hindu girls for which they get funding from different organisations. But, in ‘bahu lao-beti bachao’ campaign, we will neither ask the Hindu youths to cheat girls, nor provide them any money to lure girls of other communities,” Chauhan said.

He said Bajrang Dal will only provide protection to the couple —- Hindu boy and Muslim or Christian girl – if they face threat from their families before or after marriage. Bajrang Dal will also help any such couple to get married if their families oppose the decision, he added.

The campaign will be launched in other states such as Kerala and Karnataka. A mass awareness campaign on ‘bahu lao-beti bachao” will start soon through street plays, pamphlets and hoardings.