Not all interfaith marriages are 'love jihad', rules Kerala HC
After annulling the marriage of a Hindu woman and a Muslim man calling it 'love jihad', the Kerala HC has said not all interfaith marriages can be termed so. "We are appalled to notice the recent trend (in Kerala) to sensationalize every inter-religious marriage as 'love jihad' or 'ghar wapsi'," it said. While making the observation, it upheld the marriage of another Hindu-Muslim couple.
Woman claimed she was tortured, pressured to provide false statements
In the current case, the woman from Kannur had left home with the youth in May. When her parents complained, police traced and detained them in Sonepat. When the matter reached court, she first said she wanted to go back to her parents, then later claimed she was pressured to say so. She also alleged torture and forced conversion.
The court's verdict
The court observed the couple had gotten married legally and registered the marriage. It lauded the girl's "extraordinary courage" to "decry the attempt of her parents to deflect the course of justice by misleading litigations". "Love recognizes no barriers," the judgment quoted poet Maya Angelou.
The 'love jihad' case that set the precedent
A few months ago, the Kerala HC annulled the marriage of Shafin Jahan and Akhila after her father moved a habeas corpus petition. It came to be known as the Kerala 'love jihad' case. It ruled a marriage isn't legally valid if conducted in the absence of parents and passed a divorce order. The SC has now ordered an NIA probe into the matter.
