All love marriages should not be termed as love-jihad; Love recognizes no barriers: Kerala High Court

Kochi, October 20: "All love marriages should not be termed as 'love-jihad’, said Kerala High Court while hearing a petition with regard to an inter-religious marriage of Kannur-native Sruthi and Anees Hammed. The Kerala High Court has also ordered the police to shut down any centre for forcible conversion or re-conversion, whether it be Hindu, Muslim or Christian. 

The bench also quoted American poet Maya Angelou: Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope. It said that these kinds of marriages should be encouraged as there is no boundary for love.

The state government submitted before the court that it will take appropriate action according to law against forcible conversion centres or re-conversion centres, if any, in the state. “Any centre for forcible conversion or re-conversion has to be busted by the police whether it is Hindu, Muslim or Christian lest it offends the Constitutional rights. Article 25 (1) of the Constitution of India guarantees to every citizen the right to freely profess, practice and propagate any religion which cannot be trampled upon by subversive forces or religious outfits," the court observed.

It also cited an apex court order which held that caste system is a curse on the nation and that the sooner it is destroyed, the better. “In fact, it is dividing the nation at a time when we have to be united to face the challenges before the nation unitedly. Inter-caste marriages were in fact in the national interest as they will result in destroying the caste system,” the SC order had stated.