People Trying To Interrupt Hadiya's Studies: Father

Vaikom: The father of Hadiya, the young woman from Kerala who converted to Islam and was known as Akhila Ashokan, today said he would go to court over what he claimed was some people trying to "interrupt" his daughter's studies.

KM Asokan said the Supreme Court had sent her to the homoeopathy medical college in Tamil Nadu with a purpose to allow her to complete her studies and any move to interrupt it would be an offence.

He expressed displeasure over Hadiya being allowed to hold a press conference at the Sivaraj Homoeopathy Medical College at Salem in Tamil Nadu yesterday.

"She has been sent by the Supreme Court there for completing her studies. But she is not allowed to do it. Some people are trying to interrupt her studies. She was threatened to hold a press conference. I am concerned," Hadiya's father told PTI here.

Claiming that his daughter had been "brainwashed" to go to Syria, Mr Asokan, a former Army man, said he had no issues with whatever faith his daughter wanted to follow.

On the reported move by Shafin Jahan, whose marriage with Hadiya had been annulled by the Kerala High Court, to meet her at the college, he said, "I will adopt all possible measures, including the legal route, to protect my daughter. I have full faith in the judicial system".

He alleged that there was a "strong NIA case" against Mr Jahan and that he was under the watch of investigative agencies and the judicial system.

Mr Asokan's comments come a day after Hadiya spoke to Mr Jahan via the mobile phone of her college dean in Salem, where she is set to pursue her course as per the top court direction.

College dean G Kannan has been appointed as the local guardian of the Kerala woman by the top court.

The dean told reporters that Hadiya talked to Mr Jahan for a while from his mobile phone, after he asked her whether she was interested in talking or meeting someone.

Hadiya is currently living with her parents, who have alleged that her marriage to a Muslim man is a case of "forced conversion". In May, the Kerala High Court annulled Hadiya's marriage and ordered her to return to live with her parents in Kottayam district.

In an interim order on a petition by Mr Jahan challenging the high court verdict, the Supreme Court had on November 27 set her free from the custody of her parents and directed her to pursue studies at the Salem college, appointing its dean as guardian.

The top court refused to accede to Hadiya's request to go with Mr Jahan.

Mr Asokan said he was a "common man" and certain that the judicial system in the country would save his daughter from the clutches of "extremists".

He alleged that the SDPI, political offshoot of radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India, was the force behind the conversion and marriage of his daughter.

"My daughter's marriage is a matter of prestige for them. But for me she is my daughter. I am concerned about her future. I want to see her as a practicing doctor," he said.

Asokan claimed that he was a communist and an atheist, but no one from the fraternity came forward to help him. He said some top communists and secularists questioned his refusal to Hadiya's marriage and said that she had married a man of her choice.

"I would like to ask them that will you send your daughters with extremists? You do that first. Then, ask me to do so. The Popular Front is ready to welcome anyone," he said.

Asokan further argued that his daughter wanted to go to Syria after converting to Islam with the help of two of her classmates and their parents.

"She has no idea about Syria. She was brainwashed. Can any sensible person think of going to a terror-hit country? She was being trapped," he charged.