Rekha Sharma: NCW chief sparks discussion on rise in love and jihad cases in Maharashtra, sparks call for resignation News from India

NEW DELHI: NCW President Rekha sharma has sparked controversy with his comment that there is an ‘increase in cases of love and jihad’ in Maharashtra, drawing the ire of netizens, politicians and activists who demanded his resignation for giving credence to such a term.
Sharma had met with the Governor of Maharashtra on Tuesday Bhagat Singh Koshyari to discuss issues related to the safety of women in the state, including the alleged increasing cases of love jihad in the state. His comments drew criticism from people who called him “unfit for his position.”
There was no immediate response from Sharma, but people close to her said that she raised with the governor the case of an interfaith marriage in Maharashtra facing problems and that she had made it clear that she is not against interfaith marriages.

Shortly after her comments on love and jihad, netizens dug up her old tweets in which she allegedly made controversial comments against women and politicians.
Sharma, however, claimed that his Twitter account was hacked. The tweets are dated before she became the president of NCW.
Following public outrage, he deleted his tweets and blocked his Twitter account.
“I have protected my tweets since last night after receiving a message from Twitter stating that suspicious activity was detected on my account. My profile was also blocked for a time by Twitter,” Sharma tweeted.
“… I approached the platform to investigate some unauthorized tweets made from my account. Investigations are ongoing and I hope that some solution can be found,” he said in another tweet.
The government had told Parliament that the term “love jihad” is not defined in existing laws and no central agency has reported any cases. Right-wing groups often use the term to define interfaith marriages.
She was criticized by netizens, women’s rights activists and political parties who called her tweets “disgusting, despicable and cheap.”
Addressing reporters, AAP spokesman Atishi said the party is seeking the immediate removal of Sharma from her post on the National Commission for Women.
“How can a woman with a disgusting, despicable and anti-feminist mentality preside over an institution established to protect women’s rights? We demand the removal of Rekha Sharma from the position of NCW president with immediate effect,” Atishi said.
Ragini Nayak, spokesperson for Congress, tweeted: “Every second that this vile, sexist, poisonous spit @sharmarekha passes as president of @NCWIndia is a new assault on the integrity and dignity of women in this country. Only Modi ji could have trusted such a misogynist with the protection of women’s rights #SackRekhaSharma. ”

“Why hide your cheap misogynistic tweets now @sharmarekha? BJP the government should hang its head in shame. Rapists who support the government also endorse a misogynist as the leader of @NCWIndia. Under BJP, India has truly become a country for women. #SackRekhaSharma, “the Indian Youth Congress tweeted.
Kavita Krishnan, a women’s rights activist and secretary of the All India Progressive Women’s Association, claimed that Sharma embarrassed NCW.
“Hello @sharmarekha, what the heck is a case of ‘love jehad’? Any case where a Muslim man and a Hindu woman are in love? How dare you stay in your chair as the boss of @NCWIndia and wear a term that a) treats women as the property of communities b) hates Muslims? Brings NCW to shame, “Krishnan tweeted.

Renowned lawyer Karuna Nundy said this shows that the government does not care about women’s rights.
“Having installed a deeply misogynistic, bigoted and downright sordid NCW chief, the Modi government clearly doesn’t give a damn about women’s rights. #Sackrekhasharma,” Nundy tweeted.

Netizens on Twitter demanded Sharma’s resignation, using the hashtag #sackrekhasharma.