Kerala woman goes on hunger strike to get back baby born out of wedlock

A Kerala woman held a hunger strike demanding to hand over her baby that was born out of wedlock. She was in love with her present husband, Ajith and the couple had the baby before they were legally married. Since the baby boy was born out of wedlock, her parents, in an attempt to cover up the issue had taken the baby away.

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): A woman is now fighting the authorities in Kerala to get back her child which she gave birth to prior to her marriage. According to the woman, Anupama, her child was taken away without her permission, by her father and given out to someone else with the full support of the Child Welfare Committee and CPM. Anupama's father is an area secretary in CPM.

Anupama started her hunger strike in front of the Secretariat on Saturday as she failed to get any information regarding his child even after six months.

The issue has become a big embarrassment for the ruling front in Kerala and the CPM state secretary A Vijayaraghavan said CPM would extend full support to Anupama to get her child back and will not protect wrongdoings by anyone in the party. Health Minister Veena George personally called Anupama on Saturday and extended all support.

Anupama says she has lost her confidence in the police and in the Women's Commission. Meanwhile, Former Women's Commission chairperson, PK Sreemathi said that the information about the child being forcefully separated and taken to the Child Welfare Committee was passed on to the CPM leaders and to the political secretary of the Chief Minister. Opposition parties have also intensified their protest against the CPM on this issue.

Anupama had approached the Peroorkada police on April 19, 2021, six months after the delivery- complaining that her parents had forcefully taken away her baby after delivery and never returned it. But the police have registered a case only a few days back.

Anupama, who was an SFI member, says that she had approached the party and complained about this issue immediately after her child was taken away as her father was a party leader. She alleges that the party or police did nothing to get her child back.

Anupama was in love with her present husband, Ajith and the couple had the baby before they were legally married. Since the baby boy was born out of wedlock, her parents, in an attempt to cover up the issue had taken the baby away, it is stated.

Read: Kerala rains: District collectors to grant Rs 25,000 to village officers for relief camps