Won't go back to Islam, says man who changed religion

A Muslim man, who converted to Hinduism and married a Hindu girl from in Chhattisgarh, has told the Supreme Court that he had no intention to re-convert to Islam.

“I found affinity to Hindu religion and voluntarily accepted and embraced the religion while converting from my religion by birth, Islam, after following the due procedure under the law,” the 35-year-old man said in an affidavit filed in the top court.

He responded to the apex court's queries after the girl's businessman father alleged that the marriage was a sham and a racket to entrap innocent girls.

In his affidavit, the man said he met his 24-year-old wife in 2014 in a College in Raipur. It was there they became friends and fell in love. After due deliberation, they couple decided to get married in 2018.

“On February 25, 2018, I and my wife visited the Arya Samaj temple wherein purification ceremonies were performed and I was converted to Hinduism. Following the conversion, I and my wife got married on the same day at the said temple according to Hindu rites and customs including 'saptapadi' and 'saat phere',” he said.

“I am continuing to practice Hinduism since my conversion and have not re-converted to Islam since then. I have no intention of reconverting to Islam,” he asserted.

He said a marriage registration certificate was issued to him on April 17, 2018, where his pre-conversion name was printed. However, the error was rectified and a fresh certificate was issued on November 23, 2018.

About a week thereafter, he said he had updated his Aadhaar details as well.

To the apex court's question on his plan to secure future of the girl, he said he was part of a family which was into animal husbandry and poultry farming; his brother also had a business of light decoration, fetching him about Rs 45,000 per month.

He said he was fully committed to live with his wife and he and his family had sufficient means to take care of her financial needs.

The girl's father from Raipur challenged the high court's order of July 22, allowing the man's plea to live with the wife. The girl, who on August 27, 2018 was allowed by the apex court to exercise her right to live with the parents, now wanted to go with her husband.