Seema Haider with Sachin Meena.
Pakistani citizen Seema Haider, who entered India in May without a visa with her four children to be with her lover, Sachin Meena, who she had met in 2019 while playing the online game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), has filed a mercy petition with President Droupadi Murmu requesting that she, along with her four children, be allowed to stay at her "matrimonial home" in Greater Noida. She has also urged for an oral hearing from the President in her case. Interestingly, in the 38-page petition filed by Ms Haider's lawyer, AP Singh, several examples of Bollywood personalities, legends, love stories and government slogans have been cited to support their arguments, as per a report in the Indian Express.
As per the outlet, Mr Singh argued that Ms Haider should be allowed to reside at the house of her husband as the "motive of the Indian culture is live and let live and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The world is one family)." The petition also noted that the woman had converted to Hinduism of her own free will before getting married to Mr Meena.
"Petitioner did not get visa to come to India, then petitioner took Nepal visa and came to Nepal...and changed the religion from Islam to Hinduism... on 13.03.2023, the petitioner got married to Sachin Meena as per Hindu rites and rituals at Holy temple Bhagwan Pashupati Nath Mandir, Kathmandu," according to the petition.
Further in the petition, Mr Singh referred to Pakistani singer Adnan Sami, who was granted Indian citizenship in 2016. "Famous singer Adnan Sami has got citizenship of India due to his longtime stay in India. On the same ground, Seema should be given Indian citizenship," the petition read, as per Times Of India.
To bolster his claims, the lawyer also cited a few other cases. "Famous singer Adnan Sami has got citizenship of India due to his long stay in the country. A famous actress Alia Bhatt revealed that she cannot cast vote in India as India does not give dual citizenship as other countries of the world. Akshay Kumar, the famous superstar, has Canadian citizenship but he has been living in India for so long," the petition said.
On July 4, Ms Haider was arrested by local police for entering India illegally and Mr Meena was held for sheltering illegal immigrants. However, both were granted bail on July 7 and have been living together along with her four children in a house in Rabupura, in Noida. The petition comes even as the Noida police are investigating a case of her illegal stay in India while the Anti-Terrorist Squad of Uttar Pradesh Police earlier this week questioned the couple for two days.