Bangalore: 'Love Jehad' - High Court Orders Govt to Gather Information
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Oct 21: The alleged propagation of what has come to be popularly known as 'Love Jehad', to engineer conversions from other religions to Islam, has drawn the attention of the state High Court. It may be recalled that the 'Love Jehad,' in which reportedly, the modus operandi used by the Muslim men is to trap the girls from other religions through ‘love’ and thereby get them converted into Islam, is of late, making media headlines. The High Court has now directed the state government to obtain details about the 'Love Jehad' from the Kerala government.
The Kerala High Court has already, after taking cognizance of certain reports, which had alleged that the girls are being lured in the name of love and being deserted, after getting them converted into Islam as part of the 'Love Jehad', directed the director general of police of that state, to conduct an in-depth investigation into the allegations and submit a report thereof within three weeks.
In the state, two cases of this kind had of late, been referred to the High Court. A girl each from Chamarajanagar and Belgaum districts had loved Muslim youths and had eloped with them. As the girls were majors, the High Court upheld the rights of the girls to select their life partners. At the same time, it directed the state government on Tuesday October 20, to collect details about the alleged 'Love Jehad' from Kerala government. In the recent past, there have been instances in which the parents of the girls from other religions, who have chosen to marry the Muslim youths, have complained to the policemen that their wards were the victims of the 'Love Jehad'.
There are reports that the girls who are trapped through the 'Love Jehad' are converted into Islam and then trained in Madrassas located in Chennai and Kasargod for three months, to make them conversant with the tenets and practices of Islam. The Chamarajanagar police have already said that the girls from the district, who were converted as above, are being given training at Chennai Madrassa.
The divisional bench of the High Court expressed its surprise about the conversion of the girls and the training being imparted to them at the Madrassas of other states. A girl from Chamarajanagar stated in the High Court that a written agreement was got executed between the youth concerned and herself, in the presence of some fundamentalists. As per the agreement, she was to get converted into Islam and she would be able to enter the wedlock with the man, only after she gets properly acquainted with the traditions and practices of Islam. She had informed that she has converted into Islam, but is yet to be married. She was trained at Chennai and Kasargod. She presented herself before the High Court on Tuesday and gave details of what had transpired during the last three months, since she eloped with her lover.
The High Court adjourned the hearing to Wednesday, after asking the government to collect details of the alleged 'Love Jehad' from Kerala government. In Kerala state, a widespread discontent is simmering over the alleged 'Love Jehad' activities. Some also say that a few fundamentalists have been aiming at causing social insecurity and unrest by encashing the situation, and by spreading unconfirmed news and rumours of the supposed 'Love Jehad' practices.