By IANS
Kendrapada (Orissa) : A Muslim woman in Orissa has alleged that she is being tortured for refusing to adopt her Hindu husband’s religion.
Mana Khatun, 19, of Haladia village in Kendrapada district, about 100 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, married Kalindi Sethi, 25, a Hindu youth of the same village last month at a local temple.
“Soon after the marriage, my husband and in laws pressurised me to adopt Hinduism. When I refused to convert, they physically tortured me and drove me out of the house,” Mana said Tuesday.
The woman also alleged that she sat in front of her husband’s house for hours asking to be let in but in vain.
“At the time of the marriage, the girl was aware of my son’s religion. She has no right to remain a Muslim after marrying him,” said Kulamani Sethi, 53, Kalindi’s father.
“On the occasion of the holy Ratha Yatra (chariot festival) last week, members of our community decided to change her name from Mana Khatun to Manasi Sethi after performing a purification ritual as per Hindu religious practice. But she did not agree to change her religion or her name,” he said.
Mana says that even after marriage she continued to offer the Namaz and perform other Muslim rites but her husband and father-in-law strongly opposed this and asked her to worship Hindu deities.
“My husband and father-in-law have been pressurising me to change my religion. Last week, they severely assaulted me after I refused to embrace Hinduism,” she said.
“I am ready to die. But I will not change my religion,” Mana added.
She is now in a very difficult situation as her father has also refused to let her stay in his house because she married a Hindu.
“On Monday, both Mana Khatun’s father and her husband came to the police station to sort out the dispute. We are trying to resolve the matter peacefully,” said police officer S. Das.