Published 10:17 IST, November 29th 2020
Wajid Khan's wife Kamalrukh alleges, 'His family used scare tactics to make me convert'
Late music composer Wajid Khan's wife Kamalrukh alleged that his family used 'scare tactics' to make her convert, leading to a breakdown of their marriage.
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Late music composer Wajid Khan’s wife, a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Kamalrukh Khan penned a note, seeking a strong anti-conversion bill as states moved to pass a law against 'Love Jihad’. She alleged that there was pressure on her to convert to Islam, that led to the breakdown of their marriage. She also stated that the harassment from her late husband’s family continued, as she hoped the anti-conversion law is nationalised to reduce struggles of women like her in ‘toxic’ relationships.
Late Wajid Khan’s wife pens strong note on anti-conversion bill
Wajid Khan and Kamalrukh Khan were ‘college sweethearts’, who got married after 10 years of courtship, the latter wrote in her note. However, their relationship went downhill when she was forced to convert by him and his family.
In a strong note on Instagram, she shared, “That in this day and age, a woman can face such prejudice, suffering and discrimination in the name of religion is a complete shame and eye-opener.”
She shared how she had grown up in a democratic, independent setting in a ‘simple Parsi upbringing.’ However, Kamalrukh Khan stated that it was the opposite in Wajid Khan’s family.
“Post marriage, this same independence, education and democratic value system was the biggest problem for my husband’s family,” she wrote.
She alleged, “An educated, thinking independent woman with an opinion was not just acceptable. And resisting pressures to convert was sacrilege.”
“My resistance to convert to Islam drastically widened the divide between me and my husband, making it toxic enough to destroy our relationship as husband and wife, and his ability to be a present father to our kids,” she wrote.
Kamalrukh Khan added that he did not want to set such an 'example' to their two kids, by converting to Islam.
"My dignity and self respect did not permit me to bend backwards for him and his family by converting to Islam. It was also not the example of a deep set rotten patriarchy that I wanted to set for my beautifully evolved children, my 16 year old daughter Arshi and 9 year old son Hrehaan," she wrote.
Kamalrukh added, "I fought this terrible way of thinking tooth and nail thoughrought my marriage. The result being outcast from my husband’s family, scare tactics to make me convert, including taking me to court seeking divorce."
Kamalrukh wrote that she ‘devastated, felt betrayed and was emotionally drained’ but she and her children ‘held on.’
Wajid Khan, known for numerous hits in films like Dabangg, as composer with his brother Sajid and also as a singer, passed away of a cardiac arrest on June 1 this year.
Praising her late husband for his devotion to music, she wished he could be there for the family. However, even after this death, she alleged she was being harassed by his family and fighting for her rights and inheritance of her children.
"Wajid was a super talented musician and composer who devoted his life to making melodies. My children and I miss him dearly and we wish he had dedicated more time to us a family, devoid of religious fanaticism. Today, post his untimely demise, the harassment from his family continues," she wrote.
She added, "I stand fighting for rights and inheritance of my children which have been usurped by them."
Kamalrukh highlighted the abuse that women went through for not converting and expressed her displeasure over the hate campaign against other religions. She hoped that the anti conversion law looks into the patriarchal mindset, as it is the women who were being forced to convert. She slammed the 'campaign' for spreading hate against other religions and separating wives and children from their families.
Stating that ‘all religions are a path to the divine, ‘ she added that 'live and let live' should be the ‘only religion’ one should practice.
READ: Karnataka Will Put An End To Religious Conversion In The Name Of 'love Jihad': CM B S Yediyurappa
10:17 IST, November 29th 2020