Kochi: The State Women’s Commission chairperson M.C Josephine said on Monday that there was no forced religious conversion taking place in Kerala. She was reacting to the statement of Rekha Sharma, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, that women and girls in Kerala were being subjected into forced religious conversions.
While talking to mediapersons in Kochi, Ms. Josephine alleged that Ms. Sharma’s remarks were intended to harm the reputation of Kerala at the national level. “The NCW chairperson made the remarks without understanding or studying the situation in the state. Kerala’s social fabric and general values is a role model for the entire country. She could have avoided such politically motivated and venomous remarks. Ms. Sharma didn’t intimate us about her visit to Hadiya’s home at Vaikkom and no report was sought from the State Women’s Commission on the Hadiya case,” Josephine said.
With regard to the Hadiya (Akhila) case, the State's Women's Commission had adopted the correct approach, she added. “It is not appropriate for anybody to ignore the measures taken by the body the case and talk insensible things.
When visiting Hadiya, Ms. Sharma could have briefed about the issues faced by the girl rather than making a statement on religious conversion. What Hadiya now needs is not the facility to live in her home but to interact freely with society for which the State’s Women's panel has been trying for the last three months.”
