Indira longs to make up for lost years after victory

IPOH: All M. Indira Gandhi wants to do now, after the landmark Federal Court decision in her case, is to hold her youngest daughter Prasana Diksa in her arms again after nine long years.

“I miss her. I want to hug her, kiss her, and give her all the love she deserves from a mother,” the kindergarten teacher told The Star at her house in Taman Rishah here yesterday.

Despite the court’s ruling in her favour, nullifying the unilateral conversion of her three children to Islam, she has yet to meet, kiss and hug Prasana.

Indira said Prasana, who will turn 10 in April, is always in the family’s thoughts, and they will not give up hope of getting her back.

 

“She was only a baby, 11 months old, when I last held her in my arms.

“When she was brought to court in 2009, my ex-husband pushed me away when I wanted to hold her.

“We are confident that she will come back to us one day. Her mother, grandmother, sister and brother are waiting for her with open arms,” she added.

Indira said that before going to court yesterday, she was mentally prepared for any outcome.

“We waited 14 months, and the delay was causing anxiety. I was prepared for the best, as well as the worst,” she added.

She now hopes Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Haron will keep his promise and bring her daughter back to her.

Indira said she understands that her daughter has been brought up as a Muslim.

“We will not impose religion on her. We will explain Hinduism to her, and let her choose.

“I know that when she comes back to us, it will be a new environment for her.

“Prasana, we love you, and that is all that matters. We are longing to see you. It has been very long. Come back to us,” she said.

Indira said all efforts to locate her daughter have been futile, as the addresses in Kelantan they obtained turned out to be false.

Her older daughter Tevi Darsiny, 21, said she last hugged her sister during court proceedings in 2009.

“I just want my sister to be back home; as long as she is with us we will respect her decision.

“What my father did to us ... we will definitely not put Prasana through the same trauma,” she said.

Tevi said that when her mother called her from Putrajaya to inform her of the Federal Court’s decision, they both started crying.

“We won, is what my mother said. Now when people ask me about my religion, I can say with confidence that I am a Hindu,” she added.

Indira, her 75-year-old mother S. Renggamah, and Tevi will be carrying milk pots today in conjunction with Thaipusam to thank Lord Muruga for answering their prayers.

“I am not giving up hope. I know that one fine day, Prasana will be with us.

“On that day I will cry too, but they will be the tears of joy,” Indira added.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said Bukit Aman would track down Prasana and her father, adding: “We are aware of the court’s decision on her case and we will abide by it. I will instruct my men to find them.”

The IGP said the police had been trying and is still trying to locate Indira’s ex-husband K. Pathmanathan @ Muhammad Riduan Abdullah since a warrant was issued by the Ipoh High Court on May 30, 2014.

“We have not managed to tracked him down but issued a media statement on April 29, 2016, urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact the police. We have updated Indira’s lawyer on steps taken to track down the ex-husband,” he said.