New Delhi: Asserting that she converted to Islam out of own volition and married Shafin Jahan, the 24-year-old Akhila alias Hadiya has pleaded in the Supreme Court to allow her to live with her husband.
The court in November last has set at liberty Hadiya and allowed her to pursue her house-surgeoncy at the Sivaraj Homoeopathic Medical College in Salem, Tamil Nadu. During the hearing in January, the court has asked Hadiya to file an affidavit explaining her stand.
In an affidavit filed on Tuesday, she reiterated that she was a Muslim and she wanted to continue to live as a Muslim. She said “Since September 8, 2016, except the period from October 27, 2016 to December 20, 2016, I have been under confinement without the freedom that I am entitled to. Even now I am under police surveillance. I most humbly pray that my entire liberty may kindly be restored to me.”
She said Shafin Jahan is her husband and she wants to continue to live as his wife. “I embraced the faith/religion of Islam on my choice as per my conscience and on my own free will, after studying about Islam and thereafter I married Shafin Jahan. I further pray that this Court may be kind enough to appoint my husband as guardian.”
She said, “I used to perform Namaz (prayer to Almighty God) in my room. Even when I came home, I continued my prayers. Once, my father happened to see me offering Namaz and he warned me against Islam saying that it is a religion of terrorism. Thereupon, I was forced to keep my faith in Islam as a secret at least at home.”
