By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kochi: No organisation or movement in the name of 'Love Jihad' or 'Romeo Jihad' is functioning in Kerala, says the report submitted by Jacob Punnoose, Director General of Police, in the Kerala High Court yesterday. The report adds that no evidence has been found regarding the functioning of any such organisation dealing with forced conversion in the state.
The Kerala High Court had asked the state DGP on September 29 to submit a report on the occurrence of 'compulsive religious love based conversions' that have taken place in Kerala 'during the last three years'. The court had also raised questions like if there was a movement called 'Romeo Jihad' or 'Love Jihad' functioning in the state. The court ordered the enquiry while considering two cases in which two MBA students from Pathanamthitta in south Kerala were allegedly forced to convert to Islam after two Muslim young men feigned love and married them.
The report, a copy of which is with the TCN, says that there was no evidence for such activities getting funds from abroad. Nor was evidence found for such activities going on in other parts of the country. No proof has been got for such activities being connected to counterfeiting, smuggling, drug trafficking and terrorist activities.
The report submitted by the DGP clearly states there is no evidence of any such organisation or such activities, but adds that there have been allegations from many corners that such activities were going on in the state for the past few years. However, the report points out that 'there are reasons to suspect' the existence of concerted attempts to force girls into conversion after Muslim boys win them over.
The report further reiterates that except for the two cases under consideration in the court, there have not been any cases regarding forced conversions based on love. And the police had registered complaints and were actively investigating the matter in the two cases mentioned.
The court had ordered inquiry into the matter while considering the bail applications of Shahen Shah and Sirajudheen, natives of Pathanamthitta. The two young men were accused to have feigned love and forcefully converted two MBA students to Islam. The men married the girls and were living together when the girls' parents filed habeas corpus in the High Court. The girls had reportedly asked the court permission to go with their husbands, as they would not be able to live according to their religious faith when with parents. The court had sent them with the parents, directing the parents to provide all help for the girls to follow their religion. But when the girls were presented in the court the next time, they said that the boys had forcefully converted them to Islam.
In another development, Shahen Shah and Sirajudheen, the accused boys, have decided to withdraw their bail applications submitted at the High Court. The boys have reportedly said that the decision was taken as they were not sure of getting justice in the prevailing circumstances. They were widely hunted by the media in the love jihad controversy.
