Other States - Rajasthan   

Resentment prevails over Sanganer weddings

Special Correspondent

Police launch probe; no case registered, statements of couples recorded

JAIPUR: Muslim orgnisations of Rajasthan have taken exception to the marriage of two Muslim women inmates of the Social Welfare Department's Mahila Sadan in Sanganer, near here, with the people of other faiths, saying this has set a wrong precedent of the State Government encouraging religious conversion.

Shahrun and Tasmina were among the 12 girls who were married off at a function in Mahila Sadan on Friday. Activists of the Human Development Society gathered at the venue and raised slogans against Muslim girls being married with a Brahmin and a Dalit boy with the rituals such as circumambulation around fire and applying `sindoor'.

In addition to Social Welfare Minister Madan Dilawar, Sadhvi Ritambhara -- who was in the town to deliver religious discourses -- was present in the function to "bless'' the newly-wed couples. Police force was deployed in large numbers outside the building to prevent any untoward incident.

Activists of women's wing of Jamat-e-Islami Hind had earlier met the two inmates and tried to persuade them not to marry Hindu boys. However, the two girls reportedly consented to the marriage as they wanted to leave Mahila Sadan as early as possible.

Jamat-e-Islami's State president Mohammed Salim said it was obligatory for the State Government to ensure the upbringing of inmates in accordance with their religious customs and find bridegrooms for them from their own community. "By marrying off Muslim girls to Hindu boys, the BJP-led Government has taken yet another step towards implementing its communal agenda,'' he said.

The Social Welfare Minister, Mr. Dilawar, has on the other hand affirmed that the marriage of women inmates had no element of controversy as the girls were adult and had signed affidavits giving consent to their marriage with the boys of their choice. He said the department would get their marriage registered under the law.

Iftekhar Ahmed, secretary of the Human Development Society, disputing the Minister's claim, said the Social Welfare Department took no action on the applications of Muslim boys willing to marry the Mahila Sadan inmates and in stead compelled them to select their life-partners from among the applicants of other religions.

The Human Development Society has since reported the matter to police, which have launched a probe into the matter without formally registering any criminal case. The in-charge of Sanganer police station recorded the statements of both the newly-wed couples on Saturday.

The Muslim bodies have offered assistance to the State Government in finding suitable bridegrooms for such girls, while pointing out that their de facto conversion for marriage would violate the spirit of the Religious Freedom Bill awaiting the assent of the Governor.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

3,040 seats in polytechnic colleges
Resentment prevails over Sanganer weddings

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu