A journey of a lady full with courage, sorrow and carelessness by society
Khuda Kaha hai chalo usko dhondne niklen,
Suna hai woh mazloom ki aah me rehta hai,
Dharti ko banake douzakh behisht maangte ho,
Tumhari chah pe ab tou khuda bhi hasta hai
This is how a hapless woman expressed the resemblance of this quote to her life, a life full of sorrow and agony. She was allegedly victimised and tortured by inhuman and uninhabitable people surrounding her, which led her to take refuge in an unliveable tent for the last one and a half year on the pavement of Nandidurg Road, Benson Town. A tent in which she finds it difficult even to stretch her legs and which fails to give her shelter from the sun and rain, Maria Bai talks to Tayyab Hassan Ajaib.
Maria Bai Ashrafi (74), daughter of Abdul Aziz Sait, was born and brought up in Chandulal Baradari, Hyderabad. She is a B.A. Urdu graduate from Osmania University. In 1967, she got married to Abdur Razaq who was running a transport office in Hyderabad.
Soon after marriage she became an alleged victim of sexual harassment and torture. Her husband tried to push her forcibly into the flesh trade. She received repeated threats to her life when she refused to do so; Maria Bai said and burst into tears.
“He got married to me only because he wanted to earn more money by vending my modesty but I escaped from it and fought bravely against his dreadful intention”, she recalled. Subsequently, two months later her husband died in a road accident, which she considers the happiest moment of her life.
Maria Bai was pregnant when she migrated to Bangalore for livelihood and to make a sound future. She worked as a stamp vendor and a typist in District Court for over 20 years.
But fate did not support Maria and her daughter, Fathimunnisa as they became victims of untold misery and despair here too.
Maria’s daughter pursued graduation in BUMS from Govt. Unani Medical College, Bangalore and started working. At that time they were residing in the Wilson Garden locality, disclosed the old lady.
She alleged that, Khawajapeir, a software engineer, son of Hasan Wali was a neighbour who trapped Fathimunnisa in his net and married her forcibly. Fathimunnisa started a clinic in Nagawara. He intimidated her to open a clinic on the outskirts of the city to handle abortion cases for lucrative purpose.
Maria lamented that, her daughter and son-in-law used to quarrel frequently, which created further rift between them. Hence she alleged that, this provoked him and he set her on fire. He also ransacked the house, stole his wife’s valuables and fled. This incident took place when they were residing in an apartment on lease in Hebbagodi, she added.
“Dr. Fathimunnisa was seven months pregnant at the time of this incident and
was admitted to Baptist Hospital, Hebbal in a very critical condition. Her body had over 80 percent burns and she succumbed to the burns after struggling for over a week,” Maria Bai said with sorrow.
Later, after four years, with the assistance of Mr. N. Jai Prakash Rao, senior advocate and his assistant Mr. Anil, Jaypee Associates, Bangalore, Maria won the case which she had filed and succeeded in putting Khawajapeir behind bars for life. But ironically, he remained imprisoned only for seven years and is now free, due to alleged dominance of bribery, she further added.
She is also legally battling for meher, a mandatory payment in the form of money or possessions, which was supposed to be paid by Khawajapeir at the time of marriage. She is still awaiting justice and says that she has full faith in the judicial system.
Maria was living in a house owned by Imtiyaz at Hebbagodi which she had taken on lease by depositing Rs. 30,000 as lease amount but failed to get it back after the completion of lease period. She said that, “When I approached him to return the money which I was supposed to get back according to the agreement, he refused to give it. He threatened and forced me not to claim it. All the belongings are still in the house. I told him that I would vacate it only after I get my money back,” she said.
Speaking to Karnataka Muslims, her neighbour Abdul Gani from Hebbagodi, a fabrication welder, said that, “we know her from the past 25 years. She was working in the district court, is very kind to everybody in the locality and sociable in nature. It is very sad to hear that she is living in such miserable conditions despite having a house on lease. She could not afford to live in that house as she does not have any source of income and family support.”
An FIR was registered against the owner, Imtiyaz, in Hebbagodi police station because of which he is not doing any harm to her belongings, Abdul added.
A frequent visitor and Maria’s supporter, Ashvini Sukumar says that, “she is in desperate need of shelter as she is not keeping well most of the time. She is suffering from low blood pressure (BP) and the conditions in which she is living would further affect her health. I am trying my best to provide a house for her”, she expressed.
Maria bewailed that, life has given her plenty of sufferings all the time. Stressing on her needs, she said, “My legs have become feeble and I am not able to stand or walk. It is really difficult for me to stay here and carry out my daily rituals. Living in the tent has become unbearable. I have lost patience”.
A frequent visitor and Maria’s supporter, Ashvini Sukumar says that, “she is in desperate need of shelter as she is not keeping well most of the time. She is suffering from low blood pressure (BP) and the conditions in which she is living would further affect her health. I am trying my best to provide a house for her”, she expressed.
Maria appealed to the government and NGOs to provide a shelter, financial assistance and food to sustain herself. She also has a desire to perform Umrah. Almighty Allah would definitely find a possible way outfor her, Maria says confidently.Courtesy:Karnataka muslims
http://karnatakamuslims.com/portal/yearning-for-release-from-dark-shadows/