Love Jihad Case: Hadiya’s Father Says Okay With She Being a Muslim, But Not Her Marriage With Shafin

Kerala: Just days after the Supreme Court said it would like to meet Hadiya on November 27, her father said he was okay with his daughter living as a Muslim, but would not agree to her staying with Shafin Jahan.

“Jahan has a terrorist mindset. I would not like to see my daughter as his wife. Let her live in my house as a Muslim, let her marry another Muslim if she wants. But not Shafin,” he said, claiming that that he had proof of his terror links and would produce them in court in due course of time.

Asokan said he would produce his daughter in court on the designated date and let the law take its due course.

“My daughter has been psychologically kidnapped. She doesn’t understand the seriousness of the whole situation. For him, she was going to Syria to study Islam. She still doesn’t know why they were trying hard to send her to Syria. I’m sure the court will take into account all aspects of the case, including the NIA report and come to a fair conclusion,” he told CNN-News18.

Quizzed on activist Rahul Easwaran’s video that showed Hadiya pleading for life and accusing her father of beating her, Asokan said it appeared the words were coaxed out of her. “He came to counsel my daughter. I doubt he might have told her to say all this,” he said.

He also added that he had never stopped his daughter from meeting people. “She is open to meeting whoever she wants. She can go out also with the police protection, I have never stopped her. She herself doesn’t want to interact with people. What can I do about that?” he told CNN News18.

But when CNN-News18 tried to speak to Hadiya, Asokan did not give permission.

The father also slammed the state government for refusing an NIA investigation into the case. “No matter who rules, be it the LDF or the UDF, their governance has always helped Popular Front of India (PFI) grow. The NIA has talked about so many cases. Why isn’t the state government speaking out?” he said.