Kerala - Kochi   

Rationalist roots for mixed marriages

Photo: H. Vibhu

SOCIAL CHANGE: Forest Minister Benoy Viswom, president of the Rationalist International Sanal Edamuruku and State president of the Misra Vivaha Sangham Soly Edamuruku at the golden jubilee celebration of the Sagham in Kochi on Sunday. —

KOCHI: Mixed marriages advocate a new culture of individual liberty and dignity and the Misra Vivaha Sangham hopes to create a society that accepts the culture, said Sanal Edamuruku, president of the Rationalist International and patron of Misra Vivaha Sangham.

Celebrating 50 years of the Sangham, Mr. Edamuruku said that it has been a difficult journey for the leaders in the formative years even as the laws have now become protective for mixed marriages. Some of the major problems are that prejudice in the society still continues and the issue of reservation in mixed marriages is a debatable point.

“We are not aiming to form a separate social unit, but to be part of the mainstream society”, he said.

Both the main political parties in the State while mouthing support for mixed marriages are communal in selecting candidates for election, said Mr. Edamuruku.

In fact, it is very sad that the State is seeing a comeback of caste and communal politics now after the people here have worked for more than 50 years towards evolving a society that does not bring in considerations for caste and religion in a larger societal order, he added.

Inaugurating the public meeting to mark the golden jubilee of the organisation, the Public Works Minister Mons Joseph, said that the people in mixed marriages are in the forefront of a new Kerala (Kerala navothana). Mixed marriages are a leading force in the social changes taking place today, he added.

Benoy Viswom, the Minister for Forest and Housing, gave away the Edamuruku award to T. K. Gopalakrishnan of Kerala Kaumudi, Kottayam.

V. D. Satheesan, MLA; K.K. Ashraf, assistant district secretary, CPI and P. A. Rajeev, IRA district secretary were among those who spoke on the occasion.

A new team of office-bearers were also elected during the delegates conference held earlier.

Soly Edamuruku was re-elected the State president. K. Ravindran from Ernakulam was elected vice-president while S. Sarithkumar from Kottayam was elected general secretary. P. T. Suresh Babu, P.A. Rajeev, Ani Chellayakkil and Nagesh R. were elected joint secretaries and P. K. Omana was elected the treasurer.

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