There’s a reason Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a story told and retold to death. There’s a passionate appeal in the story of star-crossed lovers who manage to unite, even if in death, despite the powerful forces of the society that tries to keep them apart. Take our very own Bollywood remakes of this tragedy—Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Ishaqzaade or even Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela—and you’ll know why this tale will always remain evergreen.
This tale goes full reel-to-real in this story of the daughter of a prolific BJP politico in Karnataka, who fell in love with a man from Congress but was forced to marry another.
According to TOI, after the marriage, the woman, a 26-year-old engineer ran away from her parental home in Gulbarga, Delhi. She immediately sought legal help, petitioning the Supreme Court for an annulment of her marriage.
According to her lawyer, senior advocate Indira Jaisingh, the woman was physically and mentally tortured by her family, and was even threatened with rape if she married her lover against her family’s wishes.
The woman also stated that her fiancé was aware about her refusal to marry him. However, he submitted to the marriage after familial pressure as well. The two were forcibly married off on March 14th.
As evidence, her lawyer presented to the court text messages that the woman had sent to the police and to her groom, which clearly indicated that she was being forced into the union against her wishes.
And now, a tiny beacon of hope seems to have been lit by the Supreme Court’s latest directive on this case, which as advocate Indira Jaisingh has claimed, is a reverse of the ‘Love Jihad’ case.
In the ‘Love Jihad’ case, the SC had refused to interfere in the marriage of an adult who had given consent to the union, and allowed Hadiya to live with her husband.
While the Supreme Court has refused to grant immediate annulment to the marriage, it has issued direction for making consent for marriage a priority.
Supreme Court today issued notice to Karnataka and Union of India after hearing a 26 year-old woman's plea seeking protection and direction for making prior consent of a boy & girl mandatory before marriage under Hindu Marriage Act
— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2018
It has also issued directives to secure protection for the woman and her lover.
Supreme Court also asked the police to give protection to the woman, the daughter of a Karnataka politician, who fled after her wedding ceremony as she did not approve of the marriage
— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2018
According to NDTV, the apex court has also sought statements from the girl and her lover about the alleged threats from the woman’s father and brother, which are to be given to the Additional Solicitor General of Karnataka.
The case is slated to be heard in the SC next month.
The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case, which is so reminiscent of movies like Ishaqzaade, spells some relief for the couple. Hope is still alive that this love story at least, will get a happier ending than its literature and Bollywood counterparts!