NCW chief meets Maha Guv, raises issue of rising ‘love jihad’ cases in state

NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma on Tuesday met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in Mumbai and discussed the “rise” in ‘love jihad’ cases in the state among other issues, an official statement said. She highlighted the distinction between a consensual inter-faith marriage and ‘love jihad’ and said that the latter required attention, the National Commission for Women (NCW) said in a statement.

“Madam Chairperson raised the issue of rise in love jihad cases in Maharashtra. She highlighted a distinction between consensual inter-faith marriages and love jihad and said that the latter required attention,” the statement said. As part of her visit to Mumbai, she also met a number of government officials, the NCW said.

“Our Chairperson @sharmarekha met with Bhagat Singh Koshyari, His Excellency, Governor of Maharashtra and discussed issues related to #womensafety in the state including defunct One Stop Centres, molestation and rape of women patients at #COVID centres and rise in love jihad cases,” the NCW tweeted.

She also raised the issue of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women not having a chairperson and stressed that the position be filled at the earliest to ensure complaints are addressed in a timely manner. She claimed that some 4,000 complaints received by the state commission have not been attended to and redressed. “Till such time that the position is filled, a member from NCW shall visit the state on a monthly basis to look into the concerns raised by the women in the state,” the NCW said.

Sharma also enquired into the status of the defunct One Stop Centres and sought their immediate reopening. “Some 188 cases filed under POCSO are pending beyond the statutory three month period. This should be looked into on priority,” Sharma was quoted as saying in the statement.

During her visit she met several women’s rights groups and NGOs to get a sense of the severity of the issue and the on-ground reality faced by women in Maharashtra.