All this happened because I took up Islam: Hadiya says after SC verdict

On her first visit to her home state Kerala after the Supreme Court upheld her marriage with Shafin Jahan, Hadiya on Saturday said “all this happened as I embraced Islam”.

“The Constitution gives all the freedom to choose their religion, which is a fundamental right of every citizen and all this happened because I embraced Islam,” Hadiya said. She and her husband arrived here on Saturday from Salem and drove to the office of the Popular Front of India (PFI) where she briefly interacted with reporters.

“With the Supreme Court upholding our marriage, we feel we have got freedom,” she said. The court on March 8, set aside an order of the Kerala high court that annulled their marriage. It, however, directed the National Investigation Agency to continue probing for criminal dimension into the case, if any.

Hadiya, 26, earlier Akhila Ashokan, embraced Islam and married Shafin Jahan, a Muslim. Her father alleged that she was forcibly converted.

“It was only the PFI that supported us all through our troubled times and what’s more surprising is that two Muslim organisations whom we approached refused to help us,” Hadiya said.

She will be in Kerala for three more days before returning to Salem in Tamil Nadu where she is studying.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud on Thursday said: “Hadiya...is at liberty to pursue her future endeavours according to law.”

KOZHIKODE (KERALA):