BJP Demands Action in Kerala Student's Death Linked to Conversion Pressure

BJP's Stance on Student's Tragic Death

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has labeled the death of a 23-year-old student enrolled in a teacher training program in Kerala as a significant example of pressure for religious conversion. They are urging Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to take stringent action regarding this incident.

This demand comes in light of allegations from the student's family, who claim that her boyfriend and his relatives coerced her into converting to Islam. BJP's state unit vice president, Shawn George, stated that this case has profoundly shaken the conscience of Kerala.

A march led by BJP leader P.C. George was organized to the Kothamangalam police station, where participants called for justice for the student, labeling her as the latest victim of 'love jihad.'

The term 'love jihad' is often used by right-wing activists who assert that non-Muslim women are lured into relationships or marriages under the pretense of love, leading to forced conversions.

Another BJP leader, B. Gopalakrishnan, described this incident as a prime example of coercion for religious conversion and urged Christian churches to address the issue to prevent similar situations for Christian girls.

Sona Eldoz, the student from Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district, was found hanging at her home on Saturday. A note recovered from the scene accused her boyfriend Ramiz and his family and friends of pressuring her to convert for marriage, along with allegations of physical abuse and mental harassment.