A 19-year-old student of a Kerala polytechnic institute was arrested for allegedly raping his 18-year-old classmate and compelling her to convert to Islam. Mohammed Jasim was arrested under charges of rape, extortion and criminal intimidation, as well as deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious sentiments by insulting a religion or its beliefs. According to the girl, who was involved in a two-year relationship with the accused, he had compelled her to convert if she wanted to marry. The girl is a Christian. Two grown up adults who were in relation for two years, something went wrong and the guy dumped the girl.
They were classmates. However, according to the girl’s statement, the boy insisted she convert to Islam if she wanted the marriage to happen. Immediately, there is political intervention and matter got flared everywhere.
Love Jihad is actually a political issue. In general most people in India do not care or even have any relation to it. In India we have two main national parties. One is Congress that comes across as a party that is influenced by socialism and the other is BJP that is sympathetic towards Hindu Right wing.
But if you notice randomly, every Love Jihad story has a Hindu girl falling prey to Muslim guys. Few good people are there but there are few bad flags as well. There are many such incidences where, society or political leaders brought these issues on surface with Love Jihad tag, even the so called lovers are opportunists, they fall in so called love, exchange emotions, share bread and bed but when fall apart cry accusing men for rape or atrocities. Why these girls fall in such relations, why can’t they stick to their own religion knowing that they have to get converted if they get lured by another religion guy.
India is a country of many religions; each religion has its own norms and values. The politicians and custodians believe that a person can make rational choices when it comes to selecting and following a religion. They believe that one can marry anyone from any religion but they don’t talk about the consequences. For them, marriage is between two people, religion should not be a factor. They don’t consider other social factors like family systems, economics and the impact such marriages have on social stability and family stability.
In India, Hindus and the converts (people who still carry values of Hinduism) consider daughters as their pride, when someone from the other faith marries their daughter; it destabilises their life till their death. The parents, the siblings and other members of the family are isolated in their community and then the frustrating life if compromises are not made. The women (and men) all over the world are capable to make their own choices; both have a rational mind. But, why is that, it is the women which have to compromise on religion? The media which should not have any tags, has not pointed out to this, they known to empower women is silent on women compromising on their religion, especially in the Hadiya case. Isn’t it wrong that women have to compromise on their religion, whenever they marry outside their religion?
These religious custodians also ignore the fact that Islam, Christianity and other religion convert people from other religion before marriage to an individual from their religion. No one has raised this point, which is against freedom of faith. If A falls in love with B, A wants B to convert because the religion demands B (most cases women) to convert because she is from other religion. This is against love if you are in love with the other person, why do you want him/her to compromise, let the other person follow their religion. Even the B (a female) knowing all these repercussions chose a relation that is practically not possible. Hindus, Muslims, and Christians are completely different culturally from each other. All the three religions don’t like people from their religion being converted to the other. The Constitution allows religious propagation; this has been used as religious propaganda in India. This propaganda wants people from other religions to convert into their religion. Most of the hate against any religion happens during religious gatherings of any kind. Hindus and the converts consider their daughters as their pride and when the female child switches religion, the family especially the parent’s face a lot of hardship. The first one is psychological, at home the situation will be worst than anyone passing away when one passes away people may feel sad for few days. But, when a boy/girl switches religion the parents are dying every day, even the strongest minds collapse. This is worst than living in a state were terrorism is dominant. The parents will raise many points but this one is the main point: Why can’t the guy switch his religion when he marries a woman from another religion? If his love his so great ask him to compromise…
The second hardship which parents face in the society is that they will be labeled as those people.. Whose daughter ran away with another guy of another religion! This will also lead to social isolation of the family. Something which liberals never speak off! Thirdly, they will be tortured for money or any physical asset, if the man is incapable of anything in life except love. The parent’s side will only come out in the open when they speak out; normally the case is that they keep quiet because of their pride and the shaming they have to face from others. If you don’t speak out, the media will hide your side!!! The parent’s side should be documented so that young individuals think about their parents.
The law will go by the written sections and by the version of the adults. It will never consider the parent’s side. Lastly, marriage in India is between two families and this marriage will not go well if unknown people marry unknown people from other faiths. It is in the public domain, what people do to save their ‘honour’ in the society. I said before, daughters are the pride of Indian families. In the end, one should ask that is it worth it? All will not be good after such marriages in your future family or your past family which you are ready to abandon. It can be the other way round also, that family can also abandon you in the future. But, if you are going for an inter-religious marriage, be smart and do things properly, don’t trouble others, especially the ones who have fed you, trusted you and have given everything, to see that you do well in life.
(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
