Allahabad HC orders protection to woman who converted to Islam and her husband

“Nobody should interfere in the peaceful life of two adults residing together by their own free will,” the Allahabad high court observed in a fresh order asked Bijnor police to provide protection to a Muslim youth and his wife who converted to Islam from Hinduism.

This is the second time, the apex court in Uttar Pradesh provided protection to women- who embraced Islam- and their husbands who were targeted by BJP government’s police and Hindu fringe groups.

Last month, the HC, with a similar observation, had provided protection to another couple from Moradabad.

Shaista Parveen and her husband had moved a writ petition on December 16, 2019, stating they had solemnized their marriage and living together by their own free will, but were being harassed by their family members.

While hearing the duo’s plea, Justice Saral Srivastava said “The court has repeatedly held that where the two individuals having attained the age of majority are living together, nobody is entitled to interfere in their peaceful life.”

The court directed the Bijnor SP to look into the grievance of the couple and provide them protection, if necessary.

The Court was told that the woman decided to follow the Muslim religion and converted herself voluntarily.

Claiming themselves to be adults and living together out of their own free will, the petitioners alleged that there was a threat to their lives by their respective family members.

In support of their age, the couple brought on record their High School mark sheet and Aadhar cards.

“This is a free and democratic country, and once a person becomes a major he or she can marry whosoever he/she likes. If the parents of the boy or girl do not approve of such inter-caste or inter-religious marriage, the maximum they can do is that they can cut off social relations with the son or the daughter, but they cannot give threats or commit or instigate acts of violence and cannot harass the person, who undergoes such inter-caste or inter-religious marriage,” the court also quoted the case of Lata Singh vs. State of UP 2006 Cr.L.J. 3312, in which the Supreme Court, while dealing with a case of harassment by the parents of the boy and girl who had entered into intercaste marriage.