Neha love jihad case : Cong leader Niranjan Hiremath hit out his party leaders for denying Love Jihad angle

A day after the daughter of a Congress corporator in Karnataka was stabbed to death by a former classmate on her college campus, the father had emphatically stated that his daughter had fallen prey to Love Jihad.

“If this is not Love Jihad, then what is?” Niranjan Hiremath asked.

The devastated father has himself acknowledged on national television that his daughter has fallen prey to this treacherous ploy. He also voiced his discontent and vexation with the leaders of his own party for negating the Love Jihad angle in his daughter’s case.

He requested HM G Parameshwar and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to exercise caution and retract their comments that downplayed the religious angle in his daughter’s horrific death and instead attributed it to ‘personal reasons’.

Retorting strongly to Home Minister G Parameshwar’s remarks where he denied any religious angle in the case and suggested that the murder of Neha Hiremath stemmed from a mutual love relationship gone awry, Niranjan Hiremath said on Friday, that by making such remarks, the Home Minister is tainting his daughter’s image.

“By making such statements, my daughter’s honour should not be tainted, because I know my daughter well. I am a Congress corporator, I am not from some other party. Our Home Minister has given such statements due to wrong information. I request the Home Minister to correct his statement. If you want to get votes by giving such statements, it is not right. I am a people’s representative, I am your party’s representative and I’m not from any other party. It has happened in my own house, so how can I protect other people?” Niranjan Hiremath told reporters.

Karnataka lies to teeth

The Karnataka government firmly rejected those allegations. State Home Minister G Parameshwara claimed that Neha and Fayaz were in a relationship before it soured.

“Maybe he stabbed her because she was to marry someone else, but I don't know the details yet. But since it was a mutual relationship, it doesn't seem to be a case of love jihad,” Parameshwara said.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar accused the BJP of trying to create fear and panic. "BJP is trying to threaten by showing that there is no law and order in Karnataka. Karnataka has the best law and order. They are just trying to tell the voters that they are going to put Governor's Rule in the state. They cannot do it. The law will take its own course for everyone," Shivakumar said.