Bikaner: The incident of the elopement of two women in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district triggered the BJP and right-wing to call a ‘Love Jihad’ targeting the Gehlot-led Congress government.
A purported video of the missing girls appealing to their respective parents, stating that they are in love with each other and were not under pressure from each other, but rather the decision to live together was of their own, prompted the parents of the 17-year-old Hindu girl to file an FIR against the 20-year-old Muslim girl and her brothers for brainwashing and conspiring to take her away."
The incident unfolded on June 30 when a 17-year-old girl, a class 12 student in a private school, and a 20-year-old teacher went missing from their homes. Concerns and tensions escalated when the family of the minor filed a complaint on July 1, alleging that the teacher, along with her brothers and family, had brainwashed their daughter and conspired to take her away.
The family's complaint resulted in the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the teacher and her two brothers under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including kidnapping, inducing a woman to compel her marriage and criminal conspiracy. The case also involved sections of the Juvenile Justice Act due to the minor's age.
According to the girl's uncle, the family discovered her absence when she failed to return home after school. Further inquiries at the school revealed that the teacher was also absent.
However, a four-minute video released by the girls provided a different perspective on the situation. In the video, the bespectacled, younger girl denies being brainwashed or kidnapped, asserting that their decision to leave was voluntary because they love each other and cannot envision marrying anyone else.
She clarifies that the video was her own initiative to dispel misunderstandings.
The teacher's family, who also reported her as missing, expressed their concern for both women's well-being. The teacher's father stated that they intended to uncover the truth behind the situation and cooperate with the authorities fully. He mentioned that his daughter was previously engaged to a man from a neighbouring district, and the wedding was scheduled to take place soon.
However, the incident has become highly politicized, with the opposition BJP criticizing the ruling Congress government in Rajasthan. BJP MLA Rajendra Rathore, who visited the town where the two women are from, questioned the government's response and alleged the abduction and conversion of innocent daughters, asserting that such actions harm the culture and traditions.
As the police in Bikaner initiate a search operation to locate the missing women, Superintendent of Police Tejaswani Gautam confirmed that one of the girls is a minor, and efforts are underway to trace their location and bring them back safely.
In a plea to their parents, the girls expressed their love for each other and apologized for the pain caused. They implored that no legal action be taken against the teacher's family, as their lives would be devastated if caught.