BJP seeks strong law to protect women from forced conversions in Kerala
'If the government is apprehensive about the term 'love jihad', they can change it. But we want strong legislation to protect women who are cheated in the name of love and then tortured to convert to Islam. We cannot tolerate such activities,' said BJP state vice-president Shone George.
'The Kothamangalam woman was taken to Panayikulam, where she was locked up in a room and tortured demanding to convert. The police say they cannot use the term love jihad because it has not been defined in legal terminology. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan have not spoken a word against such moves.
By refusing to oppose love jihad, the government is supporting these activities. Panayikulam, where the girl was tortured, is notorious for anti-national activities. It was the location of a SIMI camp in the past. We have appealed to the government to hand over the investigation to a Central agency,' he said.
According to him, there were many people other than the relatives of the accused in the house during the torture. Though the parents of the accused were present at the house for three days, the police failed to arrest them.
'Now they are under PFI protection, making it difficult for the police to nab them. In a similar incident, a differently abled girl was tortured in Kollam. The police have not arrested the accused. Those who protested against the nuns' arrest in Chhattisgarh are silent on love jihad,' he said.
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