‘Break skulls if needed’: UP Hindutva leader’s ‘love jihad’ threat against Muslims

Uttar Pradesh: Far-right Hindutva leader Sonu Sharma has called for violent attacks on Muslim men whom he accuses of being involved in “love jihad”, urging Hindus to “break skulls if needed” in a social media video.

Sharma, a resident of Khoda in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district, is a member of the Hindu Raksha Dal, headed by Pinky Bhaiya.

In the video, Sharma addresses Muslims by saying, “Haanji jihadiyon, abbu aa gaye” (Jihadis, your daddy has arrived), before calling on Hindu men to fight against what he describes as “love jihad”.

Sharma also expressed support for another Hindutva supporter, Krishna Thakur, after videos of Thakur repeatedly slapping a young Muslim man surfaced on social media.

“Lagaatar hum love jihad ki kamar thodne ka kaam kar rahein hai per yeh jihadi maan nahi rahein. Kyunki yeh log Yogi Adityanath ka kanoon maan nahi rahein, bus sharia maanthe hai,” Sharma said, alleging that Muslims follow Sharia law rather than the law and order of the state.

He further claimed that they have sufficient funds to continue their campaign against Muslims, suggesting the existence of a well-funded network.

“Hum sanatan dharma ko bachane ka kaam karthe hai. Inn suwaro se baccho” (We protect Sanatan Dharma. Protect yourself from these pigs), he said.

Neither the Khoda Makanpur Police Station nor the Ghaziabad Police Commissionerate has any knowledge of the video, according to the report.

“Love jihad” is an Islamophobic conspiracy theory promoted by right-wing Hindutva groups. It alleges that Muslim men deliberately target Hindu women to seduce, deceive and force them into marriage and conversion to Islam.