The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State committee has taken to task party leader and former legislator George M. Thomas for appearing to suggest that Muslims deliberately enticed members of other religions into marriage by pursuing an alleged policy of waging jihad through love to encourage conversion to Islam.
The CPI(M) had debunked the “love jihad” theory as a Sangh Parivar construct to alienate and disenfranchise Indian Muslims and portray them as the other.
CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said Mr. Thomas had rejected the party line publicly. The CPI(M) Kozhikode district committee would examine the issue and take necessary action.
Had apologised
Mr. Thomas had accused the media of twisting his words. He had apologised for any offence he had caused inadvertently.
The marriage of Shejin, a Democratic Youth Federation of India leader belonging to the Muslim community, to Joisna Joseph, a Christian, had triggered the row.
Deepika, widely reckoned as a newspaper patronised by the sizeable Syrian Catholic community in Kerala, weighed in with criticism against the CPI(M) stance on Tuesday. In an editorial, the newspaper said Mr. Thomas had merely aired the concern of the woman’s family in particular and other communities in general. The editorial seemed to suggest that the CPI(M) had crucified a truth-teller for his conviction.
