By Express News Service
KOCHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson incharge Rekha Sharma on Monday said Hadiya’s case was not a ‘Love Jihad’ incident, but forced conversion. She met Hadiya and her parents at their residence in Vaikom on Monday.
“It’s not a case of Love Jihad as there’s no love in that marriage. She spoke to Shafin only twice or thrice. She met him only once before the marriage, which was arranged within a day. It was an arranged marriage, but not by her parents. Somebody else arranged it without the consent of her parents. Because of the marriage, she wants to live with Shafin,” said Sharma.
According to Sharma, Hadiya is physically fine. “She’s very alert and up-to-date about the incidents taking place. She wants to come out of her residence. I promised to take her out. I also spoke to her parents separately. Hadiya is neither assaulted nor beaten up and there’re no human rights violations,” she said.
Sharma’s statement is contradictory to claims made by activists that Hadiya is forcefully confined to her residence. They claimed Hadiya is being physically and mentally tortured by the parents.
Similarly, the State Women’s Commission has approached Supreme Court seeking permission to speak to Hadiya. Asked whether her visit was an interference to a case that is under Supreme Court’s consideration, Sharma said, “The Supreme Court has not prevented anyone against meeting Hadiya. Even the parents claimed before the Supreme Court she was not under any detention,” she said.
Asked about seeking a report from Kerala State Women’s Commission in Hadiya case, she said, “The State Women’s Commission is an independent body. But I can get the reports through DGP. I’ll speak to DGP about the matter,” she said.
