'Gulfisha's bail is now in the Almighty's court'

'We wish Gulfisha gets bail before Eid, but whatever happens will be Allah's wish.'

Booked under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for her alleged role in the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots, Gulfisha Fatima, an MBA graduate, has been in jail for almost 1,145 days now.

While the court hearings are over and Gulfisha has applied for bail, the Delhi high court reserved its order on her bail plea on February 13.

"Her bail order has been reserved by the judge. Even Umar Khalid's bail has been reserved since the last four months. Even Gul's bail order has been pending for almost two months now," says Gulfisha Fatima's mother Shakira Begum.

Shakira Begum and Gulfisha's father Tasneef Hussain, who last met her on March 27 while she was brought to court, and spoke to her over the phone on March 28, tell Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com over the phone about their struggles and wish to see their daughter spend this Eid with them.

In their mid- and late 50s, Gulfisha's parents have been suffering from depression since their daughter was put in jail more than three years ago.

'She was down with fever and weakness for a week'

Gulfisha last called us on March 28. She has not called us since then.

Perhaps, the phone she uses to call us is not working or there could be a network issue.

Hamara maqsad toh sirf unko dekhna hota hai (The main purpose of our visit is just to catch a glimpse of her from some distance).

My husband and I both have been suffering from depression ever since she has been arrested.

She told me that since she was feeling weak she was not observing roza (fasting in the month of Ramzan). There is no way we can call her. She calls us whenever the jail authorities allow her to make a call.

She was down with fever since last four-five days when we met her on March 27 in the court. She has asked us not to visit her in jail. She doesn't tell us even if she is not keeping well.

'Considering our age, she asked us not to visit her in jail'

The jail is almost 20 km from our home. First, we need to visit the jail authorities to get their permission to meet her. Come back home and then again make another trip to the jail at the given time to meet her. We have to cover this distance four times so that we can meet her.

Considering our age, she asked us not to visit her in jail. She told me there was no need to take so much trouble at our age.

We met her only briefly in the court on March 27.

Court main kya baat hogi? Judge ke saamne khade rehte hai bas? (Court) Aate-jaate thodi bohot baat ho jati hai (We hardly get any chance to speak to her in court. She comes and is presented before the judge. That's all. We get to speak only briefly when she is escorted in the court and back to the police van which takes her back to jail).

It was in court I asked her if she was fasting. She complained about weakness and fever. I asked her to eat khajoor (dates). Perhaps, she is not getting enough food in jail.

'If Allah wishes, Gulfisha will be with us for Eid'

She has also been a brave girl. She worries more about us than herself. She believes in Allah's will and has asked us to stop worrying about her.

We all know she has not done any harm to anybody, or wished ill for anyone.

Bura karenge toh bura payenge, achcha karenge, toh achcha payenge (If we harm others, then bad tidings will fall on us, but if we do good to others the Almighty will always take care of us).

Her bail order has been reserved by the judge. Even Umar Khalid's bail has been reserved since the last four months. Gul's bail order has been pending for almost two months now.

Allah ka hukm hua toh hogi (If Allah wishes, Gulfisha will be with us for Eid; she will get bail before Eid, which is on April 25), Insha Allah (God willing).

There is talk that all the bail orders will be delivered together. People also say she may not come out on bail for another six months.

Humein toh bohot ummeed hai par Allah ki marzi ke aagey koi kuch nahi kar sakta (We do fondly wish that Gulfisha gets bail before Eid but whatever happens will be Allah's wish). Yeh na toh hamare bas ki baat hai na vakeel ke bas ki baat hai (Gulfisha's bail is now in the Almighty's court).