Love Jihad controversy erupts after CPI(M) Muslim leader marries Christian girl in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, May 13: A Love Jihad row has broken out in Kerala following the marriage of a ruling CPI(M) youth wing leader with a Christian girl.

The parents of the bride made the allegation and a senior left party leader supported the charge only to retract his statement later.

As the issue became a major controversy, the CPI)M) said that there was nothing wrong in inter-faith marriage and the campaign of Love Jihad was a creation of the RSS and Sangh Parivar.

Attacking the CPI(M), senior BJP leader and Union Minister, V Muraleedharan said that the left party's hypocrisy on the matter has been exposed once again.

The charges were levelled by the relatives of Jyotsana Mary Joseph, a nurse in Saudi Arabia. She had recently walked out on her family and married Shejin a local DYFI leader belonging to the Muslim community.

A section of the Christian community in Thriuvambady including nuns staged a demonstration. More fuel to the row was added following a statement by CPI(M) district secretariat member George M Thomas who supported the allegations. However the district leadership intervened and made Thomas issue a clarification.

Love Jihad is a term used by the RSS and Sangh forces to attack religious minorities. Our party has made it clear that marriage is an individual choice and the legal system of the country permits adults to get married according to their choice, P Mohanan, CPI(M), Kozhikode district secretary told reporters.

He also said that the statement by Thomas supporting the allegation should be seen as a slip of the tongue and the former MLA was convinced of the mistake. He also added that the DYFI leader could have informed the party about his plans to avoid such a controversy.

Jyotsana told reporters that she has all the freedom to stick to her religion till her death. Shejin clarified that marriage is a natural culmination of their love affair and the controversy was unwanted.

Thomas on the other hand when retracting his statement said that his words were tested by the communal forces to suit their version. He maintained that he endorsed the party's stance on the issue of love marriages.