In a first, UAE gives birth certificate to girl born to Hindu father and Muslim mother
Dubai, Apr 28: In probably the first, the UAE government has given birth certificate to a nine-month old girl who was born to an Indian Hindu father and a Muslim mother, setting aside the country's marriage rules for expatriates during the Year of Tolerance, according to a media report.
As per the marriage rules for expatriates in UAE, a Muslim man can marry a non-Muslim woman but a Muslim woman cannot marry a non-Muslim man.
Sharjah-based expat Kiran Babu and Sanam Saboo Siddique, who got married in Kerala in 2016, faced and unusual situation when their daughter was born in July 2018, the Khaleej Times reported.
"I have an Abu Dhabi visa. I get my insurance coverage there and got my wife admitted to Medeor 24X7 Hospital in the emirate. But after the baby's delivery, the birth certificate was rejected as I am a Hindu," Babu said.
"I, then applied for a no-objection certificate through the court. The trial went on for four months but my case was rejected," he added.
Babu said that since his daughter had no legal documents, he pinned his hopes on the amnesty period.
The UAE has declared 2019 as the Year of Tolerance to highlight the UAE as an exemplary example of a tolerant nation, bridging the communication gap between different cultures and build an environment where people accept each other as they are.
"Those days were stressful and the amnesty was a window of hope. The Indian Embassy helped with the provision of an outpass. But the baby was denied immigration clearance as there was no data or registration number to prove her birth," he said.
Babu said that Indian Embassy counsellor M. Rajamurugan supported them throughout the process.
"The judicial department made my case an exception. I was told that from now on, in such cases, we have to put together a request letter, get it approved by the chief justice, and take it to the health authority for the issuance of a birth certificate," he said.
Babu again went to court and, this time, his case was approved.
The couple was given the birth certificate of their daughter Anamta Aceline Kiran on April 14, a day before the Hindu festival of Vishu.
"I am told that this is the first case where the rule has been amended," he said.
Rajamurugan said the ground-breaking ruling from the court will serve as a precedent for future cases.
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Bidar: YouTuber attempts suicide after accusing SP, other police officers of harassment on Facebook
Bidar: A YouTuber from the district reportedly attempted to commit suicide while going Live on Facebook to accuse police officers, including the Superintendent of Police, of continuously harassing him and and driving him to take the extreme step.
The YouTuber, Salman Khan, who runs the channel ‘Media in Truth’, stated on Thursday that he had been facing harassment from several officers, including the SP, for some time.
“I upload and share videos on a variety of issues on my YouTube channel. I shared all these videos with the SP too, yet, I was called to the SP’s office on the pretext of a peace meeting, where an attempt was made to assault me in front of everyone, completely damaging my dignity and reputation,” Khan has said on Facebook Live.
Speaking further, he said that he was asked why he posted so many videos related to the police.
Claiming that he was called and told to delete the clips, Khan said he was being harassed by the SP himself.
“The SP is misusing his powers and strangulating the truth. He has also harassed several other people in Bidar district,” he said.
He also questioned how the officer would treat others if a media person was being subjected to such harassment.
“I am being forced to close my YouTube channel as the SP is attempting to register a false case against me and he might also take my life. I therefore urge citizens to please take care of my family,” Khan said on Facebook Live before allegedly consuming drugs.
On Thursday night, Khan’s condition was reported to be critical. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences (BRIMS) Hospital.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
