Hadiya safe at home: NCW

www.mangaloretoday.com

Kottayam, Nov 6 2017 (DHNS): National Commission for Women acting chairperson Rekha Sharma said on Monday that Hadiya, the 24-year-old girl in the middle of the ’love jihad’ case, was safe at her parents’ home.

Sharma said this after a 45-minute meeting with Hadiya at her home in Vaikom in Kottayam district.

The visit came in the wake of reports that Hadiya (Akhila before she converted to Islam) was undergoing physical and mental harassment at her home. "She’s in good health, she’s not beaten up or anything and she’s eating her food.. it’s just that I cannot tell you what she told me because the case is in the court," Sharma said.

The Kerala High Court had in May this year called Hadiya’s marriage with Shafin Jahan, a "sham" and annulled it, leaving her in the custody of her parents. K M Ashokan, Hadiya’s father, claimed that Shafin has links with radical outfits and his daughter’s conversion to Islam and her subsequent wedding were part of an elaborate plan to shift her out of the country.

"Her security is under no threat," Sharma said pointing out that three policewomen were posted as at the girl’s home. Rights activists have been seeking the state government’s intervention following allegations of abuse at her home.

The National Investigation Agency is probing possibilities of forced religious conversion in the case, in the wake of allegations about recruitment for terror outfits. The Supreme Court has directed Ashokan to present Hadiya in court on November 27 for a hearing. "She said she’s waiting for the 27th," Sharma said.

The NCW chairperson said she would be meeting other women who were allegedly converted forcibly. She said she would not use the expression ’love jihad’ to describe the cases and would prefer calling them cases of forced conversion. The NCW team will meet other converted women and families before submitting a report.