In a bid to put an end to the controversy surrounding her decision to leave her husband, Divya, the Vanniayar girl from Dharmapuri district whose marriage to a Dalit youth led to caste tensions last year, said on Wednesday that she would never return to her husband, E. Ilavarasan.
A couple of days after she said she would continue to stay with her mother until her inter-caste marriage gained family acceptance, Divya told reporters on the Madras High Court campus that she would not return to her husband again and would live with her mother.
A Bench, comprising Justices M.Jaichandren and M.M.Sundresh, is hearing on habeas corpus petition filed by her mother Thenmozhi.
Ending speculation about her future move, Ms. Divya came to the High Court and told the media on Wednesday: “Hereafter, I am not ready to lead a life with him (Elavarasan) under any circumstances. I will be with my mother and try to compensate the loss of my father in the family.” Her father had committed suicide last November.
“Initially, I loved and married (him). Later, my father died and untoward incidents occurred in the village. The hardship of the villagers and my father’s death caused me distress... Under those circumstances, I had to be there (her matrimonial home) and could not come out immediately. So, I took time to do so.”
Asked whether she was going with her mother for the moment, she said: “I thought earlier that that I need both my mother and him (Ilavarasan). But the thought of my father’s death still agonises me. I cannot live with him (her husband) hereafter.” She added that reports that suggested she might return to her husband one day had completely isolated her from society.
Earlier, Rupert J.Barnabas and K.Balu, counsel for Thenmozhi, withdrew the habeas corpus petition on the ground that her daughter had returned and hence, the matter may be closed. However, R.Sankarasubbu, counsel for Mr. Ilavarasan, vehemently opposed the closure of the matter, and wanted the court to keep the petition pending in view of its wider social ramifications.
