Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court’s order of police protection to an interfaith couple in Uluberia notwithstanding, the two decided to go in for a hush-hush wedding—not revealing any detail to the public—to evade further protest or threat by alleged Hindu groups on their special day.Baishali Saha (31) and Akram Khan (34) fell in love in their teen years some 16 years ago. Now well-settled, the two decided to marry. The news was reportedly leaked on social media, leading to criticism and threats from people, claiming to be members of a Hindu organisation. Saha and Khan moved the HC and Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya ordered the Uluberia Police Station IC to provide protection to the couple, and “not just the locale”, which he called insufficient. “Under coercion, the bride was forced to sign an informal social agreement that she and her sisters could not maintain relations with any person practising Islam,” the couple’s petition stated.After the HC order, the couple received mails from police, seeking details of their wedding venue, timing and guests at their registration under Special Marriage Act. The couple said they had thought of a lot of things but given the current situation, they were trying to make do with however little they could.The couple said the notice of solemnisation of their marriage was leaked on public domain on July 22, following which people belonging to ‘Hindu organisations’ gathered at Saha’s residence, threatening the couple and her father. They threatened to burn down her father’s shops and disrupt his business. They allegedly called the couple’s relationship ‘Love Jihad’. “How is this Love Jihad? Do I look below 18? We have been in love for 16 years. They dragged my father to the police station, tried to pull me into the controversy. I was constantly being forced to file a false case against Akram. I got life threats. My father received threats. There is nothing about conversion, we will retain our religion. We even applied for registration under the Special Marriage Act. We are not doing anything unlawful,” Baishali told reporters on Monday after the HC’s order.
