Indira Gandhi, who has faced a long and challenging battle to be reunited with her daughter, has thanked Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat for emphasizing that her case is not about religion, but rather a mother’s fundamental right to be with her child.
Indira’s daughter, Prasana Diksa, was taken away in 2009 by her ex-husband, K Pathmanathan, also known as Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, when she was only 11 months old.
“From the very start, this was never about religion. It’s about a mother being denied the right to be with her daughter. I’m grateful to Tengku Maimun for reminding everyone of the true nature of this case,” Indira said to FMT.
Prasana Diksa is turning 17 this year, and Indira added, “I’ve been apart from my daughter for far too long.”
In a landmark decision in 2018, the Federal Court ruled in favor of Indira, declaring the unilateral conversion of her three children to Islam by Riduan as invalid. However, despite this ruling, the police have still not been able to locate Prasana.
Indira expressed frustration over the apparent lack of effort in locating her daughter. “Many believed that the Federal Court’s decision would mean I would finally get my daughter back. But this case is far from resolved, and the authorities have remained silent. I’ve done everything I can legally, but this is pure injustice,” she stated.
Yesterday, Tengku Maimun was quoted saying that Indira’s case was one of the most significant in her career. Tengku Maimun explained that, despite the civil court granting custody to the mother, conflicting rulings from the shariah court had complicated matters. During a session titled “Live to Lead: The Journey of the Chief Justice,” she added that misconceptions about Islam had often clouded public understanding and influenced the reactions to high-profile cases.
Tengku Maimun emphasized that Islam is fundamentally about justice. “Islam teaches us not to judge others based on their skin color or religion. Social justice is a core principle of Islam,” she said.
She further stated, “In my understanding of Islam, there is no reason or justification to separate a child from her mother or a mother from her child.”
Indira Gandhi’s ongoing fight to reunite with her daughter has drawn significant attention to the intersection of law, religion, and justice. As the case continues, Indira remains hopeful that the authorities will finally act to reunite her with Prasana, and that the core principle of justice will prevail.
Source: Free Malaysia Today
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