Neha Hiremath case: Karnataka murder accused’s mother denies ’love jihad’ claims, says ’she made first move’
- Fayaz's mother denied 'love jihad' claim in Neha Hiremath murder case and said that they were in love. She also apologized for her son's actions and demanded strict punishment.
The mother of 23-year-old Fayaz, who killed Neha Hiremath, daughter of a Congress councillor inside a college campus in Hubballi has refuted the claim of ‘love jihad’ and said that they were in "love."
Neha (23), the daughter of Congress Councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was allegedly stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College on April 18.
“Fayaz was under depression. He was sitting at home for one and a half years,” his mother Mumtaz said as quoted by News18 Kannada. She also added that both Neha and Fayaz “were in love” and refuted Niranjan Hiremath's allegation of love jihad.
Also Read: Karnataka Congress corporator's daughter stabbed to death by ex-classmate 7 times in college over rejected advances
The mother also added that she had known about their relationship for a year and Neha was the one who made the first move. She further added that Neha was the one who took his son's number when he became ‘University Blue’ in a body-building competition.
While speaking to news agency PTI, Mumtaz said, “It was Neha who made the first move and took his phone number. My son did tell me about Neha and that he was in love with her and they wanted to get married. But I had suggested that he first focus on his career.”
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Further adding, Mumtaz said, “My son was very brilliant and always secured above 90 per cent marks since LKG and UKG days. He wanted to become an IAS officer and was also a University Blue (bodybuilding competition) champion.”
However, she did not deny the fact that her son killed Neha and demanded strict punishment for him.
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With folded arms and tears in eyes, the accused's mother who is a teacher said, “I apologise to the people of Karnataka as well as Neha's family for what my son has done. It is a great injustice to Neha and her family. What my son has done is completely wrong and we hang our heads in shame. What he did is a big mistake and he should be given strict punishment as per the law of the land.”
What has Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said on the case?
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on April 20 said that the Neha's murder is not a case of "love jihad" as alleged by the BJP. While speaking to the media, the CM hit out at the BJP and accused the party of politicizing the murder for politics.
Also Read: ‘Personal reasons, not love Jihad’: Karnataka CM on killing of Congress corporator's daughter on college campus
Condemning the incident, the CM said, "This is not a case of love jihad. I condemn the incident. We have arrested the culprit, the investigation is going on seriously and we will punish the culprit. We have taken care of law and order seriously to maintain peace and harmony. BJP is using this issue for politics, it is condemnable that a political party (BJP) is using the murder of a girl for political purposes."
What has the BJP alleged?
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi asserted that the issue was one of "love jihad," but the state government refused to look into it.
"He (deceased's father) is a corporator. For vote bank politics, suppressing and hushing up is their (Congress) policy. This is all happening due to that...There is a 'love jihad' but they do not want to investigate that. The father himself is saying that this is being hushed up," he said as quoted by news agency ANI.
Tejasvi Surya who is aiming for re-election from the esteemed Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat and the head of the BJP youth wing and current MP, attacked the Congress party on X and wrote, “The pain that Neha Hiremath's family is suffering from is unimaginable. Although their pain can never truly subside, I pray to the almighty to give them strength at this hour of grief."
"Congress' appeasement politics sustained over the last 10 months, exhibited through casual behaviour towards hate crimes, have emboldened anti-social elements with an unsaid promise of impunity. This is the primary reason behind such incidents recurring in Karnataka.”
(With inputs from PTI)
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Business NewsNewsNeha Hiremath case: Karnataka murder accused’s mother denies ’love jihad’ claims, says ’she made first move’
First Published:21 Apr 2024, 08:38 AM IST
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