SWC Chief not allowed to meet Hadiya

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala State Women's Commission chairperson M C Josephine was denied permission to meet Hadiya by the latter's father Ashokan on Monday.

He also declined the commission's offer to bear the airfare to go to the Supreme Court. A commission statement said Josephine went to Hadiya's house at Vaikom in Kottayam on Monday afternoon to inquire about the security arrangements for her during her journey to Delhi to appear before the apex court. But Ashokan prevented her from meeting his daughter.

Ashokan expressed displeasure with the commission for impleading in the case of her marriage without consulting him. But Josephine maintained that it was concerned about Ms Hadiya's rights. She also felt it was improper for a father to decide whom all should a girl who is above 18 years of age should meet, said the statement.

Hadiya has been living at her home under the care of her father Ashokan as directed by the Supreme Court. She is a Homeopathy graduate who converted to Islam and is married to Shafin Jahan whose petitions regarding her detention and against related National Investigation Agency (NIA) enquiry if pending with SC. Hadiya was moved to her home through a High Court order that nullified her marriage and gave her custody to her father.

The SC had directed Ashokan to produce Hadiya before the court on November 27 to hear her in connection with the petition filed by Shafin Jahan. The case attained significance owing to an allegation of 'Love Jihad'.

The commission statement also said that it had sought a report from Kottayam district police chief on the security arrangements made for Hadiya's travel to Delhi. It also collected details from the woman police personnel protecting Hadiya, or Akhila before her conversion to her new faith. Commission member M. S. Tara and director V. U. Kuriakose accompanied the chairperson. Earlier also Ashokan had reportedly declined a request of the commission to call on his daughter.

The National Women’s Commission had recently called on Hadiya and took her statements.