Hypnotic Counselling, Neuro-linguistic Programming Used to Entice Women: NIA in Love Jihad Case

New Delhi: 'Hypnotic counselling' and 'Neuro-linguistic programming' are methods used by radical organisations to entice young women to convert to Islam and marry Muslim men, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has claimed.

In its fresh report submitted in the Supreme Court in the Kerala Love Jihad case, the NIA, according to sources, has underlined that hypnotic counselling is a technique employed by certain people belonging to particular groups.

According to NIA sources, there are trained people who use hypnosis to influence vulnerable women. These non-Muslim women are then "drifted off to an altered state of mind where they are made to believe in doing what the counsellors wish".

The second method, neuro-linguistic programming, is another mode of hypnotherapy wherein counsellors can make intervention through neurological connection and then influence the clients to make changes in the latter's life goals.

The NIA, as per the sources, has elucidated use of these tools by various research papers and examples from studies.

Besides, the second report says the agency has come across seven more cases in which a pattern has been discoverered, involving the similar victims, methods of conversion and same set of people who reportedly influenced the women.

This takes the number of women to 10, wherein the role of Popular Front of India (PFI) has allegedly been found in enticing young Hindu and Christian women.

The first status report had talked about three women, including Hadiya who has been called to the Supreme Court on Monday to be interviewed by a bench of judges, including the Chief Justice of India.

The Court will at 3 pm commence its proceedings, and it will first decide whether the 24-year-old woman, who converted to Islam and married a Muslim man, needs to be interviewed in the open court or in-camera to the exclusion of audience.

On the last date of hearing, the bench had opined it would wish to examine if the Kerala High Court was legally justified in nullifying the marriage of the adult woman who, ordinarily, will have every right to follow the religion of her choice and marry any person. She is presently with her parents pursuant to the High Court order.