On Thursday, the Kerala High Court decided not all inter religious weddings are love jihad. The court specified a marriage between a Hindu woman and a Muslim man cannot be doubted if the marriage is upheld.
A division bench of Justices V. Chitambaresh and Sathish Ninan observed its judgment on a habeas corpus petition. A man filed a habeas corpus plea which ensures a person under arrest to be brought to court to decide if the detention was legal.
The court said, “We are appalled to notice the recent trend in this state to sensationalize every case of inter religious marriage as either ‘love jihad’ or ‘ghar wapsi’ even if there was platonic love between the spouses before.”
The bench fairly stated, “We caution that every case of inter religious marriage shall not be portrayed on a religious canvass and create fissures in the communal harmony otherwise existing in the God’s Own Country, Kerala.”
Recently, a case emerged of a Hindu woman who left home to marry a Muslim man in May. The woman was tracked down by her parents and taken to a yoga center that allegedly tortured her to either convert her husband or divorce him.
The issue went to court where the woman stood by her decision of marrying the Muslim man. The court appreciated her extraordinary courage even though she was pressured by her family. The bench also confirmed that the centers running forceful conversion camps will be busted by the police no matter which religion.
Article 25 (1) states, ‘Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion.’
The judgment began with a beautiful quote from Maya Angelou, “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” The bench observed that everyone had the right to love and follow the faith of their choice.
