03 November,2009 08:32 AM IST | | Chetan R
Hindu group's leader Mutalik compiling into a book the letters of regret he claims 'Love Jihad' victims wrote
The search for clues to see if there is any truth in the existence of a 'Love Jihad' movement, which allegedly aims at converting women to radical Islam via the love marriage route, is getting curiouser and curiouser each passing day.
Now, there are private investigators claiming proof of extensive existence of such an organised movement.
Hindu group Sri Rama Sene led by Pramod Mutalik is ready to publish its findings on the existence of Love Jihad even as police investigations ordered by the high court are still on in the state and neighbouring Kerala.
The Sri Rama Sene claims to have procured 'confession' letters of Love Jihad victims. MiD DAY has had exclusive access to one such letter.
But sources in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police looking into alleged Love Jihad cases rubbish the existence of the phenomenon in the state.
The letter accessed by MiD DAY describes the story of Shailaja, or Syeda after her conversion, who is supposed to be one among 30 Love Jehadi victims to be featured in a book Mutalik is putting together.
"I'm in touch with Love Jihad victims," Mutalik told MiD DAY. "The photos and letters of victims on love and conversion will come out in the book I'm compiling."u00a0
Letters and pictures
The woman who is now Syeda, in her four-page letter, describes the use of love as a device to trap and convert non-Muslim women.
Calling Love Jihad an attempt to convert women into baby-making machines, Syeda asks all women to realise there are conversions taking place in the name of love.
"Falling in love means becoming a sexual tool," Syeda says in the letter. "Further, you are a child-making machine. After six years of hell-like life, I'm regretting."
Syeda in her letter to be published in Mutalik's 'Love Jihad' the book includes stories of 'victims' told in their own words has compared her life before her love affair and conversion with the one she led after falling in love.
"Initially, it's friendship. It leads into a trap day by day. Conversion is the next thing. Further, you get reduced to a nobody and are forced to sleep with men," she says. "It's not my tale alone. Many girls are becoming victims."
Mutalik's book will contain about 18 photographs, including ones of women allegedly lured by love and converted to Islam.
"Love Jihad Movement is very much present in our state and we have adequate proof of that. I have been meeting them and the lives of victims of Love Jihad are completely shattered," Mutalik said. "While a few among the 30 cases in my book are struggling to earn their livelihood, two of them have turned into prostitutes after falling prey to love. The book will hit stalls by the end of November."
Rubbish or real?
The CID, which today has a large part of its staff assigned to Love Jihad cases in the state, has so far found nothing, said sources.
"It's all rubbish," said a highly placed person in the Home Ministry who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
"Investigations are on, but nothing significant to justify the existence of the Love Jihad movement in the state has been found so far."
State DG and IGP Ajay Kumar Singh, who was recently directed by the Karnataka High Court to look into whether there was a 'Love Jehad' movement in the state, declined to comment on the investigations.
"The state CID is investigating the matter," Singh said. "We will submit the report to the court."
