KOZHIKODE: A day after CPM district secretariat member and former Thiruvambady MLA George M Thomas’ controversial remarks on ‘love jihad’ courted controversy, the DYFI dismissed his stand completely and the party partially.
It was in the wake of the interfaith marriage of DYFI leader Shejin M S with Christian woman Joisna Joseph, Thomas made the startling remarks on Tuesday that ‘love jihad’ existed in society and it was also mentioned in the party document’. The former MLA had also warned that Shejin would face disciplinary action for his interfaith marriage after eloping with the woman and it had affected the communal harmony and brought damage to the party.
On Wednesday, the DYFI state committee issued a statement on social media dismissing the love jihad angle as fictitious and added that the youth organisation would continue encouraging “secular alliances”.
Meanwhile, CPM district secretary P Mohanan viewed it as a slip of the tongue on the part of Thomas. “Love jihad is a coinage of RSS and we do not endorse it. The ex-MLA had erred on this aspect and he had conveyed it to the party. At the same time, Shejin’s eloping could have been avoided,” Mohanan told mediapersons.
“The love between two individuals could have been discussed with both their families to convince them. There is no issue with the marriage. The woman has deposed before the court her desire to live with her husband and the issue has been settled,” Mohanan added.
The ex-MLA also met media on Wednesday and said that he had erred on the point of love jihad. “There is no love jihad in this marriage. What I said had been wrongly interpreted,” he said. He said the controversy would be discussed in the district secretariat. At the same time, IUML state acting general secretary P M A Salam flayed that the love jihad allegation by the CPM leader was not a slip of the tongue but it was in the CPM’s party document.
“The CPM state leadership should respond to it. It is serious. They should come clean on the discussion held in the CPM on love jihad and its mention in the party document,” Salam alleged.
SHEJIN SHOULD HAVE CONVINCED WOMAN’S FAMILY, SAYS CPM
Kozhikode: The political explanatory meeting organised by the CPM regarding the controversy over the interfaith marriage of DYFI worker Shejin observed that the youth wing leader should have convinced the woman’s family before deciding to elope with her. “If the woman says she was abducted, the party would stand by her family. CPM has the conscience to understand the feelings of the woman’s family,” said party district secretary P Mohanan. On the possible action against Shejin, he said it is a closed chapter. Meanwhile, former MLA and district secretariat member George M Thomas alleged that deliberate attempts were made to target the CPM on the issue.