Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday made a series of controversial remarks during the “Flag Hoisting” ceremony at Dev Sanskriti University in Haridwar. Dhami defended his government’s tough stance on what he described as “Love Jihad,” “Land Jihad,” and “Spit Jihad” in the state.
The CM claimed that his administration had cleared more than 10,000 acres of government land from encroachment and had shut down several allegedly “illegal” madrasas. He emphasized that the government was taking control over madrasa curricula to protect it from what he termed “centres with a 500-year-old tribal mindset.”
Referring to “Operation Kalnemi,” Dhami said the campaign targeted individuals and groups attempting to harm “Sanatan culture.”
According to the recent annual report by India Hate Lab (IHL), Dhami ranks among the country’s most active hate speakers, with 71 of his speeches documented as instances of hate speech.
Recently, the Uttarakhand government amended the Freedom of Religion Act, introducing stringent penalties for alleged “forced or fraudulent religious conversion”:
3–10 years imprisonment in general cases,
5–14 years for cases involving sensitive groups,
20 years to life imprisonment with heavy fines in severe cases.
Opposition parties and civil rights groups have criticized Dhami’s policies and statements, warning that these measures could be seen as targeting minority communities.
Experts noted that allegations of “Love Jihad” have often been dismissed in courts. The focus now shifts to how the Supreme Court and other constitutional bodies will adjudicate matters related to religious conversion laws and hate speech.
