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Kochi: The Kerala High Court Wednesday directed the State government to
inquire into ‘Love Jihad’ or ‘Romeo Jihad’, a campaign allegedly
propagated by a Muslim organisation to convert girls into Islam
under the pretext of love. The report has to be filed within three
weeks.
The court also sought the Centre's
views on the matter and directed that an appropriate person of the
home ministry file a report containing its views on combating
activities relating to compulsory religious conversion.
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.
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