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?I?m pleased with the God I?ve chosen but...?
Kamala Suraiya, famous poet and short story writer, says she regrets her decision to convert to Islam. But she is not giving up by reconverting to Hinduism.
Kamala Suraiya, famous poet and short story writer, says she regrets her decision to convert to Islam. But she is not giving up by reconverting to Hinduism.
Here is what's got the 72-year-old writer mad: "Everyone needs favours. In the name of Sakkath (alms giving), these people are fleecing me. I can't cope with it anymore." Some people, she added, carted away her things without her consent.
"In the last seven years (she converted in 1999) I lost nearly Rs 10 lakh and a number of precious things including ornaments," she said.
However, she has no plan to reconvert. "I am pleased with the God I have chosen. Allah is supreme for me. But I am not happy with the attitude of some people," she said while denying the news that she would come out of her veil soon.
"Islam is a beautiful religion. I still pray in Arabic," she said.
"While embracing Islam I thought they would protect me well. Instead of this, they are exploiting me. Forlorn at times, I regret my decision," she said.
This might land her in another controversy. But she is not known be afraid of it. She shocked the Kerala society with her bare-all autobiography, "My Story", which was translated into 15 languages.
In 1970, she entered politics with a slogan for an ingenious green movement. In 1999 she embraced Islam and took a new name Kamala Suraiya (formerly Kamala Das). In 2000, she floated a political outfit w hich she dissolved saying she hated collecting funds.
