Kerala ‘love jihad’ case: SC says legitimacy of Hadiya’s marriage can’t be questioned

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jan 23, 2018 : The Supreme Court observed on Tuesday that the legitimacy of Hadiya Jehan’s marriage can’t be questioned, adding that only she has the right “to decide on her choices”.

 

The SC made Hadiya a party in the case and asked her to file a response as it continued hearing the case of alleged forced conversion. Hadiya, a 24-year-old Hindu woman from Kerala who converted to Islam, has earlier said she wants to live with her Muslim husband.

“She is an adult. She appeared before us and said she is married. What can the court do? We can’t get into the legitimacy of the person whom she has married. Legitimacy of marriage can be questioned only by her or the man,” the SC said on Tuesday.

The apex court observed that the National Investigation Agency’s investigation into a “pattern” involving conversion to Islam and marriages in Kerala will have no bearing in deciding the aspects of the legitimacy of marriage of Hadiya and Shafin Jehan, which was annulled by the Kerala high court.

The Hadiya lawsuit put the spotlight back on “love jihad”, a controversial term coined by fringe outfits to describe cases of what they believe are forced marriages between Muslim men and Hindu women.


courtesy:HT