‘Love Jihad’ reaches Ladakh !

Janskar Buddhist Sangha seeks stringent law in abduction and forced conversion case of Buddhist woman

Leh (Ladakh) – Alarm has been raised over incidents of ‘Love Jihad’ and forcible religious conversions in the Janskar region of Ladakh.  Janskar Buddhist Sangha has submitted a memorandum to the administration, expressing serious concern over the abduction and forced religious conversion of a Buddhist woman. The Sangha has demanded her immediate and safe recovery. It has also strongly urged the administration to enforce a stringent anti-conversion law in Ladakh, warning that such incidents pose a grave threat to religious harmony in the region.

Growing anxiety as Buddhist woman remains missing

According to information released by the Janskar Buddhist Sangha, a Buddhist woman identified as Stanzin Yangdol has been missing for several days. The Sangha has expressed apprehension that unidentified individuals may have abducted her and kept her confined at an undisclosed location against her will. Describing the matter as extremely serious and directly linked to public interest, the Sangha has demanded immediate and decisive intervention by the administration.

Allegations of conversion under the pretext of marriage

In its memorandum, the Sangha has alleged that young women from the Buddhist community in Ladakh are being lured and coerced into religious conversion. It has further stated that, in several instances, such conversions have allegedly taken place without the consent of the women concerned. Expressing suspicion that these activities are being carried out in a planned and organised manner, the Sangha has warned that the underlying objective appears to be the deliberate alteration of the religious identity of a particular community.

The Sangha has clarified that marriages solemnised with mutual consent and without any coercion for religious conversion can legally be conducted under the Special Marriage Act. It has also appealed to Islamic religious leaders to actively create awareness and dissuade people from engaging in such activities to maintain peace and communal harmony in Ladakh.