In a strong warning against religious conversion, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said that those plotting anything like 'love jihad' will be destroyed.
The comment comes as the state prepares to pass a controversial law that has stoked concerns of fanning discord and intolerance.
"Government belongs to everyone, all religions and castes. There is no discrimination but if someone tries to do anything disgusting with our daughters, then I'll break you. If someone plots religious conversion or does anything like 'Love Jihad', you will be destroyed," Mr Chouhan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Chouhan’s remarks come a week after his BJP-led government in the state said it is proposing a jail term of 10 years for anyone found guilty of using marriage to force someone to change religion.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had said that the state government has proposed a 10-year jail term for luring, threatening and forcing someone into marriage for religious conversion, in the proposed Dharm Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020.
Recently, several BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have announced plans to bring laws to check alleged attempts to convert Hindu women to Islam in the guise of marriage, drawing sharp criticism from various quarters.