Mangaluru: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) national organising secretary Milind Parande said the centre and state govts should bring in stringent laws to protect cows, stop forced religious conversions and ‘love jihad‘.Addressing a press conference after participating in the two-day Karnataka south zone conference of Bajrang Dal held in the city on Sunday, Parande expressed concern over illegal cattle transportation in Kerala. “Karnataka shares its borders with Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Kerala has not yet ratified a cow protection law in its assembly. As a result, illegal transportation of cattle takes place,” he said.Demanding strict implementation of Anti-Cow Slaughter Act, 2020, in Karnataka, the VHP leader said that the state govt should identify smuggling routes and increase checkpoints to prevent transportation of cattle. “The police, while confiscating vehicles involved in illegal cattle transportation and arresting drivers, also should ensure that the vehicle owners too face action,” he said.The conference discussed incidents of love jihad. He said the HR head of IT major TCS in Nashik has been accused of religious conversion. “If the leaders concerned fail to address these issues, it may lead to increased suspicion towards Muslim community. The VHP has decided to meet various industry stakeholders across the country to discuss measures to prevent similar incidents. There should be an effective grievance redressal system to address complaints from employees,” he said.The central govt has introduced Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill 2026 to monitor organisations receiving foreign funds allegedly used for religious conversions, Parande said.The VHP and Bajrang Dal will launch a nationwide membership drive with a target of enrolling one crore members in Nov. The previous drive saw 72 lakh enrolments, he said, adding that the Bajrang Dal has launched a campaign to make India free from drugs.
