Senior BJP leader P.C. George has once again courted controversy by reviving ‘love jihad’ claims, just a week after securing bail in a hate speech case. Speaking at an anti-drug awareness campaign in Pala on Sunday, George alleged that 400 girls from Meenachil taluk had fallen victim to love jihad, with only 41 returning to their families.
George urged parents to marry off their daughters before 24 years to prevent such incidents. “Why do Christians keep their daughters unmarried until 25 or 30? Even yesterday, a 25-year-old girl from Bharananganam left home. Her father should have married her off by 22 or 23,” he said.
He also referenced a recent explosives seizure in Erattupetta, claiming it was “enough to burn down all of Kerala,” though he refused to disclose where the explosives were intended to go.
Criticizing Pala residents, George accused them of failing to support the Pala Bishop, who had previously warned against ‘love jihad’ and ‘narcotics jihad.’ “When thousands from Erattupetta marched to attack the Bishop, I intervened, but no one from Pala protected him,” he added.
George’s remarks come despite the Kerala High Court’s recent warning that he had violated his bail conditions, which barred him from making inflammatory statements.
This is not the first time George has faced legal trouble for hate speech. In April 2022, he was booked for remarks at the Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelanam, and another case was filed later that year for a controversial speech in Kochi.
The Muslim Youth League had lodged the complaint leading to his recent judicial custody, alleging that his January 5 remarks during a television debate were inflammatory and could incite communal hatred.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com.