Kerala women's panel writes to Chief Minister on Hadiya case

A group of women activists from Kerala has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Kerala Women's Commission seeking intervention into the 'confinement' of Hadiya at her parent's house. The letter signed by about 70 persons demanded that the women's panel members be allowed to visit Hadiya immediately and to probe the human rights violations, if any, in the case. 

They also demanded that the girl should be provided access to phone and must be allowed to communicate to persons outside the walls of her house. Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage of the 24-year-old girl on suspicion of forced conversion. She got married to a Muslim while the Habeas Corpus petition filed by her father was pending in the court. 

The letter is reproduced below:

We write to you as individuals and organisations who are part of the women’s movement to express our outrage and concern regarding the dangerous implications of Hadiya’s continued isolation and imprisonment in her parental home. We are aware of the positive step that the State Women’s Commission has taken through filing an SLP in the Supreme Court regarding seeking directions from the bench for a meeting with Hadiya as part of its duty as an institution mandated to ensure that women are not subjected to unfair practices and denial of their civil rights.

We welcome the Supreme Court’s decision to examine the High Court order vis a vis use of Article 226 to declare Hadiya’s marriage as invalid. We also appreciate the honourable courts’ decision to relook at the issue of ‘protection’ for Hadiya outside of her family. These are a recognition of the serious nature of violations that have impacted her liberty and freedom as an individual.

As women’s rights activists from across the country, we urge you to take steps to ensure that Hadiya is not forcibly confined in the home of her natal family, denied the right to cohabit with her husband and be subjected to coercion for exercising opting for the faith of her choice. It is alarming to have an adult woman today to be ordered into “protective custody” of her parent’s home under the orders of a court, denied mobility, communication and the company of her friends and well-wishers. Reports of domestic violence at the hands of her family, which if true, is a travesty that places upon your Commission the duty of initiating an inquiry.  This situation cannot be ignored or allowed to continue.

As you well know, the issue is not about what her family, religious extremist organisations – whether Hindu or Muslim or even we in the women’s movement, think of her choice of partner. The fact is that she is an adult and that she has the autonomy and the fundamental right to make choices regarding her work, her religion and her partner.

• We appreciate and support the efforts of all activists and women’s organisations in Kerala, and we are conveying our concern and sharing some suggestions emerging from our discussions.
• The State Women’s Commission of Kerala immediately visit Hadiya to assess the nature of human rights violations that she is facing.
• The Kerala SWC assess and make public a report on Hadiya’s condition.
• Hadiya be brought under the protection of the State, perhaps in a shelter in consultation with her.
• The Kerala SWC and the LDF government must immediately ensure that friends and well-wishers be allowed to meet Hadiya and that she is allowed access to a phone and communication beyond the walls of her parental home.
• We urge you to intensify the efforts that you are already making towards action on her virtual house arrest.
   

• Hadiya
• Kerala Women's Commission
• Women activists