A file photo of Justice AP Shah. | via Youtube Former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, AP Shah, on Friday said the new anti-conversion law in Uttar Pradesh was regressive in nature as it reflected the “philosophy of a khap panchayat”, and was aimed at perpetuating the subjugation of women, NDTV reported. The ordinance, Shah said, was capable of “great public mischief” and must be struck down immediately. The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 was promulgated by Governor Anandiben Patel last month. The law is intended to target “love jihad” – pejorative term coined by the right-wing groups to push the conspiracy theory that Muslim men charm Hindu women into marrying them with the sole purpose of converting their brides to Islam. Ever since the law came into force, the Adityanath government has launched a crackdown on interfaith marriages in the state, arresting a spate of Muslim men.