Indira ready to walk 350km for daughter

Kuala Lumpur: Indira Gandhi (pic), whose baby daughter was taken by her ex-husband during a custody battle 11 years ago, will embark on a 350km Justice Walk from Sungai Petani to Putrajaya if the child is not returned to her by Nov 15.

The walk will take 12 days, with Indira planning to hand over a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and a letter to the Prime Minister.

The walk will begin on Nov 21 in Sungai Petani and culminate with the presentation of a letter to the Prime Minister on Dec 2.

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“Until today, I have been pleading with everyone to return my daughter Prasana Diksa. I have exhausted all avenues by knocking on all doors of the authorities and ministers.

“I just want her returned to me. It has been 11 years since I last saw my daughter,” she said, while holding a Minnie Mouse outfit that belonged to Prasana during a press conference.

Indira’s former husband Muhammad Riduan, who was known as K. Padmanathan before converting to Islam, had taken Prasana away when she was just 11 months old.

Their two older children, Tevi Darshiny, then 13, and Karan Dinesh, then 12, remained with Indira. Police have yet to locate Muhammad Riduan despite an arrest warrant issued by the High Court in 2014.

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The Federal Court had in January 2018 nullified the unilateral conversion of Indira’s three children to Islam by Muhammad Riduan.

Muhammad Riduan was believed to be in a neighbouring country, avoiding detection by the authorities, the Home Ministry said in August.

Indira admitted that she was not physically fit, but said that Prasana would give her the strength she needed.

“Prasana is my biggest motivator now,” she said, adding that she hoped the rakyat, especially other mothers, would support her in her endeavour.