HC tells Centre, State to probe ‘Love Jihad’

Ashwin Krushna Pratipada, Kaliyug Varsha 5111

Kochi (Kerala):  The Kerala High Court has directed the Central and State governments to inquire into ‘Love Jihad’ or ‘Romeo Jihad’, a campaign propagated by Muslim organisations to convert girls into Islam under the pretext of love. The report has to be filed within three weeks.

The court also directed to look into whether ‘Love Jihad’ movement and counterfeiting, smuggling, drug trafficking and terrorist activities were related. Other directions include whether there is a movement called ‘Love Jihad’ working in the state, if so what are their plans and projects?, which organisations are involved in such activities?, from where the money is being pumped for these activities? and how many school and college students and youngsters have been converted to Islam in this way during the last three years.
The court ruling came while considering the anticipatory bail applications of Shahan Sha and Sirajudheen, the accused in a case pertaining to luring of two girl students doing MBA at a college in Pathanamthitta and later forcing them to convert to Islam.

Passing the order Justice K T Sankaran said the views of the Central Government were also important in this case.

“Incidents of similar nature have taken place in the State. It is stated that the activists of the Popular Front were assisting Shahan Sha and Sirjaudheen, who are involved in this case,” the court said.

Shahan Sha was the senior student of the two girls, one a Christian and another a Hindu, at the college. The Hindu girl fell in love with Shahan Sha and the intimacy developed.

It is alleged that Shahan Sha usually spoke ill about Hinduism.

He had taken the girl to his house also. It is alleged that Shahan Sha had compelled the girl to convert to Islam and told her that if she refuses to convert, their relationship would come to an end.

Meanwhile, Shahan Sha and the girl came into contact with one Shaji, who was running a DTP centre.

The Hindu girl, along with her friend, who is a Christian, used to go to the shop. Later, Shahan Sha took the Hindu girl to Ponnani without the knowledge of her friend. Pressure mounted on the girls to convert and was directed to meet a person at a mosque.
The girls left their homes on July 17, 2009.

While travelling, CDs of Popular Front were displayed.

The Christian girl was not in love with anyone. It is alleged that the proposal was to give in marriage the girl to somebody else and Shahan Sha brought his friend Sirajudheen for this purpose.

Meanwhile, a habeas corpus petition was filed before the High Court by the parents of the girl.

Though Shahan Sha and Sirajudheen appeared before the court, the girls were not willing to go with their parents.

They agreed to go with their parents after the court persuaded them.

After a few days, the girls who appeared before the court again as per the directions, refused to go with Shahan Sha and Sirajudheen and the court permitted them to go with their parents.

However, the Division Bench ordered not to arrest the youth.

Though the court made an attempt to settle the matter between the two parties, the parents of the girls did not relent.

Their view was that the law should take its own course.

The habeus corpus petition is pending before the court.

Source: Express News Service