Kottayam: Father of Hadiya (maiden name Akhila), who was caught in a religious conversion row after she married a Muslim youth, has joined the BJP. K M Ashokan joined the saffron brigade by giving a missed call to the phone number of the party.
Ashokan was facilitated during a BJP event on Sabarimala held at TV Puram in Kottayam district on Sunday. A former Indian Army soldier, Ashokan was a CPI supporter. Ashokan later told reporters that he talks to his daughter every day. However, he said he had not spoken to Hadiya on joining the BJP.
Ashokan's daughter had converted to Islam and married Shafin Jahan. The father had alleged that his daughter's marriage was a case of 'forced conversion'. The woman had taken the name Hadiya after conversion.
The Kerala High Court had in May 2017 annulled Hadiya's marriage and put her in the parents' custody. Hadiya's husband Jahan challenged the HC order in Supreme Court. As the legal battle raged on, the issue grabbed national attention.
Ashokan had accused the Left-led Kerala government of supporting extremists in the matter. He also alleged that even the Kerala Women's Commission took a stand against him and his family in the matter.
On November 27, 2017, the apex court freed Hadiya from her parents' custody and sent her to the college to pursue her studies, even as she pleaded to be allowed to go with her husband.
The Supreme Court in March 2018 set aside the HC order annulling her marriage. The apex court, however, asked the NIA to continue the probe into the case of conversion and marriage of Hadiya. The NIA was not able to find evidence to support the case of forced conversion.
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