They met in school, fell in love and after a decade of long-distance relationship, decided to marry. It could have been a typical love story, if politics of hatred hadn’t gotten in the way. For the interfaith couple - Mohammed Ghalib, 30, and Asha Verma, 26, the only option was to run away to a state, which is over 2500 km away from their native place Jharkhand.
On February 27, Kerala High Court issued an interim order asking police to give protection to Asha and Ghalib, who got married in the state last week. The court also asked the station house officer of Kayamkulam police station to ensure that they were not forcefully taken away to Jharkhand.
Ghalib brought Asha to Kerala, a state he had previously visited twice in connection with the marriages of his colleagues. With the support of his friends in Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district, Ghalib and Asha got married as per Muslim rituals on February 11, followed by a Hindu ceremony five days later.
The couple approached the court after Rajrappa Police Station in Jharkhand registered an FIR against Ghalib and his two friends under section 87 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (kidnap or abduct a woman with the intent to force her into marriage or illicit intercourse).
As per the complaint filed by Asha's 19-year-old brother Raunak Kumar Verma, Asha went missing when their father Dhruv Prasad went to Kumbh Mela on February 9. "During their search, they found out that Mohammed Ghalib alias Raza, along with his accomplices Fauji and another unidentified person, had kidnapped Asha Verma. It is alleged that they abducted her with ill intentions and took her to Kerala. The complainant suspects that his sister is being trapped in “Love Jihad” and may be taken abroad for exploitation," the FIR said. Love Jihad, a term propagated by right wing groups, is a conspiracy theory which purports that Muslim men seduce, kidnap or marry Hindu women with the intention to convert them.
Speaking to TNM over phone, Asha dismissed the allegation of ‘Love Jihad’ and kidnapping. Asha said that she and Ghalib were in a long distance relationship for over 10 years. “Recently, my family came to know about it. It was then that I asked Ghalib to come and run off together,” said Asha. Asha said that she has no fears as she was feeling safe in Kerala.
Ghalib said that the elopement has created a communal tension in their hometown Chitarpur in Ramgarh District. “I have temporarily shifted my family to another place for two-three months. I fear for their safety as Asha’s family is creating issues in the area,” he said. Ghalib said that his family, consisting of his parents and an elder brother, is miffed with him. “I hope things will calm down after a while,” he added.
Following the court order, two personnel belonging to the Jharkhand police, who were staying in Kayamkulam to question Ghalib, returned. Adv Gaya S Latha, the counsel representing Ghalib and Asha, said that they are planning to file a petition at a court in Ranchi to quash the FIR against Ghalib. “Asha has given her statement (under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita), where she clearly said that she went with Ghalib on her free will. A copy of this was given to Jharkhand police. Still they were camping in Kayamkulam to arrest Ghalib. Finally they returned after the HC issued the interim order,” Gaya said.
Ghalib, an engineer in UAE, is planning to rejoin work within a week. “Asha will stay in Kerala till her passport and visa are ready. We are looking for a job for her in the UAE,” said Ghalib.