Kochi: Love has no boundaries and religion should definitely not play a part in deciding one's life partner.
Joisna Mary Joseph, who is at the forefront of a 'love jihad' controversy in Kerala, on April 19 said that she tied the knot with the person she loved and expressed hope that her parents will support her marriage.
Her remarks comes in the wake of the Kerala High Court's decision to dismiss the petition filed by Joisna's father against her marriage with a Muslim man named Shejin.
"I married the person I loved. So I wanted to go with him. I liked him and started living with him. I told the court about my decision. It is a decision made by a person over 18 years of age. We will both talk to our parents. We will convince them," Joisna told ANI.
Joisna's husband Shejin has assured that he is absolutely fine with her wife living as a Christian until her death.
"We hoped that the verdict would be favourable. As two persons over the age of 18, we are permitted by law in India to live as we wish. The allegation that we were at the SDPI centre came while we were both at my father's brother's house. Such controversy spread at that time," she said.
"I am not religious. I will have no problem with Joisna living as a Christian until her death. That is her personal matter. I will not interfere in it. In my case, she did not interfere I hope. It will continue that way until death. Everyone should allow us to live in peace," he said.
Earlier in the day, the division bench of the high court sent Joisna with Shejin after the woman confessed in the court that she was not under any detention and had gone with Shejin out of her own will.
Joisna's father had earlier filed a complaint with police where it was alleged that she was under illegal detention.
Meanwhile, Shejin happens to be a member of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Earlier, a CPIM leader from Kozhikode district had backed the allegation of Joisna's father that the interfaith marriage was part of love jihad.
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