Hadiya’s father welcomes apex court’s verdict

The father of the Kerala woman, at the centre of the alleged love jehad case, on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court decision allowing her to continue her studies and said he did not want a ‘terrorist’ in the family.

His daughter Hadiya, KM Ashokan said, wanted to go to Syria after converting to Islam but had no idea about what it entailed.

“Hadiya does not have any idea about Syria, where she wanted to go after converting to Islam,” Ashokan said.

“I cannot have a terrorist in the family,” he added.

Asked about his stance on inter-religious marriages, Ashokan said he believed in one religion and one God.

The Supreme Court yesterday freed Hadiya, 25, alleged to be a victim of ‘love jehad’, from the custody of her parents and sent her to college to pursue her studies, even as she pleaded that she should be allowed to go with her husband Shafin Jahan.

“I was sad that she had to undergo all these unpleasant experiences because of which her studies were interrupted. But now I am happy as the court has allowed her to study further,” Ashokan told reporters.

He denied allegations that she had been kept under house arrest and added, “She was fully surrounded by police inside and outside the house.”

Ashokan said he was not worried about her security in Salem, Tamil Nadu, as she was now under the protection and observation of the apex court.

“I accept the Supreme Court’s decision. She is under the protection of the Supreme Court as it is monitoring the case and so I am not worried about her security,” he said.

He also said he would go to Salem and meet her as and when necessary as the court had allowed him to do so.

“The court has not given anyone guardianship, including Shafin Jahan, of my child,” Ashokan said, adding that only close relatives like him were allowed by the court.