"Their only aim is to destroy love, spread hatred": AIMIM's Waris Pathan on Bhagwat's "Love Jihad" remarks

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 5 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) national spokesperson Waris Pathan has accused the Sangh Parivar of spreading "hatred and targeting Muslims every day".
"Their only aim is to spread hatred in the country, to destroy love, to polarise society, to strangle the constitution, and to distract people. That's why they target Muslims every day and spew this kind of nonsense," Pathan told ANI.
He was responding to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks on 'love jihad'.
Questioning the very premise of the term, Pathan said, "First of all, ask him what Love Jihad means? He doesn't even know the meaning of Jihad."
He further challenged the RSS to present evidence.
"Tell me, in which state and how many Love Jihad cases have happened? They don't have the data," Pathan said.
Defending the right of adults to make personal choices, Pathan added, "If there is an 18 or 19-year-old boy or girl, who the law allows to love and marry whomever they want, who are these people to stop them?"
Earlier, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also criticised Bhagwat's remarks, demanding concrete proof if such claims are being made.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Owaisi said, "If it's an adult making their own decision, then our likes or dislikes are irrelevant."
He further questioned the absence of official data, saying, "If love jihad is happening, then why do they not present the data in the parliament? Provide records from all the states where you are present, showing instances of love jihad occurring there."
Owaisi also criticised the focus on the issue, adding, "They should define what love jihad is. The youth of this nation needs employment, and you are taking them somewhere else."
Earlier, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said that efforts to prevent 'love jihad' must begin within families. He made the remarks while addressing the 'Stri Shakti Samvad' programme in Bhopal on Saturday.
In December 2025, Bhagwat also spoke against live-in relationships, emphasising the importance of family structure in society.
"Regarding the concept of live-in relationships. You're not ready to take responsibility. This isn't right. The family, marriage, is not just a means of physical satisfaction. It's a unit of society. The family is where an individual learns how to live in society. People's values come from there," Bhagwat said.
The RSS Sarsanghchalak was speaking at an event in West Bengal's Kolkata, where he said the family unit is a confluence of culture and economy and plays a crucial role in shaping society. (ANI)