Madhya Pradesh High Court Orders Police Protection For Interfaith Couple Amid 'Love Jihad' Claims
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Superintendent of Police of Jabalpur to provide protection to an interfaith couple who intend to marry.
Earlier on Monday, Telangana BJP MLA T Raja had asked Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to intervene and stop the marriage of a Muslim man and a Hindu woman in Jabalpur.
In a video message circulating on social media, Raja was heard saying that Yadav and the MP police must ensure the "love jihad" marriage was not solemnised.
Hearing a petition filed by the couple, Justice Vishal Dhagat said "the petitioners were called in the court room and statements of petitioners No 1 and 2 are recorded in the chamber as relatives of petitioners may disturb the court."
Both the petitioners stated they were in a live-in relationship for the last one year and wanted to marry, the Court noted.
"It is submitted by them that they be granted police protection, otherwise petitioner No.1 (the woman) may be abducted by their family members. They are not able to do their job. There is threat to their lives and limb," the Court order said.
"As there is strong possibility of injury to petitioner 1 and 2, Superintendent of Police, Jabalpur is directed to give police protection to petitioner No 1," the High Court said.
A police team will take the woman to the place where she is living and allow her to collect her all belongings, the judge said, adding, "after the collection of said articles, she will be taken to an institution where she will be provided shelter, food and safe place for sleeping."
The woman will live there till November 11, and not contacted by the family members or the Muslim man she is in relationship with, the Court said, adding that she "is free to think about her decision to marry petitioner No.2" during this period.
On November 12, her statement will be recorded before the Registrar of Marriage for conducting marriage under the Special Marriage Act, the Court order said.
Her Muslim boyfriend too will be given protection and taken by police to an undisclosed location for his safety, the Court said.
"When circumstances are conducive, he will be taken to his home and left in company of family members," it added.
"If any person forcibly wants to contact petitioners No.1 and 2 and commits offence of wrongful restraint or use criminal force then Superintendent of Police is directed to register a case against such person and take action in accordance with law," the order said.
On Monday, Hindu Sewa Parishad chief Atul Jeswani had said BJP MLA T Raja sent him a video message, following which he met Jabalpur collector Pushpendra Ahakey and asked him to cancel the couple's application under the Special Marriage Act.
His organisation gave the district collector a "memorandum against love jihad", he said.
'Love Jihad' is a term used by right-wing groups to refer to an alleged campaign by Muslim men to convert Hindu girls through marriage.
Cause Title: Ankita Rathore & Ors. v. The State of Madhya Pradesh & Ors.
Appearance:
Petitioners: Advocate Amanulla Usmani
Respondents: Advocates S.K. Shrivastava, G.P. Singh
With PTI Inputs