December 5, 2020 4:45:26 am
Under UP’s Prohibition of Illegal Conversion of Religion Ordinance of 2020, anyone wishing to convert to another religion must request permission from the District Magistrate at least two months in advance. (Representative image)
Muslim youth whose the wedding with a Hindu neighbor stopped in Lucknow’s Duda colony by police under the new anti-conversion law said that none of them planned to convert. Noting that the two had known each other for five years, the woman’s mother said that the marriage had its sanction and that no one could stop it.
The families also said the wedding was planned before the law went into effect on November 28, and that they would have asked permission if they knew it was necessary.
The boyfriend, who works as a pharmacist, told The Indian Express: “There is no question of conversion … no discussion of conversation … because I feel that if the two of us love each other, we can accept each other for who we are. If she is Hindu, I can accept her religion and identity, and she agreed to do the same. “The woman was not at home.
Police stopped the ceremony, which was carried out according to Hindu rituals, on Wednesday night, due to a complaint from the Hindu group Rashtriya Yuva Vahini, although no cases have been presented. While the groom is 24, the bride is 22 and the two are neighbors. The 24-year-old said they planned to perform Muslim and Hindu rituals, and neither of them were converting. Police previously said that all they wanted was for the two to follow the rules of the new law and that “there was no crime.”
Speaking to The Indian Express Friday at the groom’s home, the woman’s mother said: “It is no one’s business who my daughter marries. We have lived in a mixed colony all our lives and have been friends with Muslims. So why can’t my daughter marry a Muslim? He doesn’t want her to convert either … I don’t know who complained to the police or if they acted on their own ”.
The woman’s mother works as a cook; his father is a driver.
The groom said: “We both know each other, we like each other. I wouldn’t even call this a love match, both families were in agreement and it was more of an arranged marriage. I asked her mother for her hand a year ago. I was sure I wouldn’t marry her if her family disagreed. “Her father used to pull a rickshaw, but he’s too old now, her mother died a few years ago.
The wedding date had been set two months ago, the families said. “If we had known about the new law, we would have asked permission and this embarrassment could have been avoided,” said the woman’s mother. The groom said he was ready to apply to the district administration and wait as long as necessary. “There is no rush, I will marry according to the rules and regulations.”
Under UP’s Prohibition of Illegal Conversion of Religion Ordinance of 2020, anyone wishing to convert to another religion must seek the permission of the District Magistrate at least two months in advance. Any “illegal” conversion carries a penalty by law.
The groom added that they were open to marrying under the Special Marriage Law, which allows a ceremony without any change of religion.
Recalling the wedding day, the woman’s mother said: “She had prepared herself, she had been to the beauty salon. Then all this happened. It was difficult, but now it’s okay. “He added that they weren’t worried about financial losses.” Eventually what matters is my daughter’s happiness … What if we hadn’t allowed them to get married and they ran away? “
The Para SHO Triloki Singh Police Station previously told The Indian Express that they intervened following a complaint by some representatives of Rashtriya Yuva Vahini. “We told the families that under the new law, they can only marry if they have notified the DM during the specified time. We told them that it shouldn’t seem like there is pressure to convert, ”he said.
Lucknow DCP (South) Ravi Kumar said the families had received a copy of the new law. “They have given in writing that they will ask the DM for permission. No crime has been committed and we have not filed a case, “said Kumar.
Rashtriya Yuva Vahini’s national chairman KD Sharma said that the head of state of his team’s minority cell, Yasir Khan, had filed the complaint. Sharma lives less than a kilometer from where the couple live. “I also called the SHO and told them to take the necessary measures … We are not against marriage, but we want the new law to be followed,” Sharma said, claiming that he had received a call from the national president of India. Mahasabha also regarding the wedding.
Lawyer Mukteshwar Mishra said that if the couple did not intend to convert, the new law could not apply to them. “In case they intend to marry, they must have their marriage solemnized under the Special Marriage Law. This will ensure that the provisions of the new Ordinance, which deals with illegal conversions, do not apply to your marriage. But they both have to keep practicing their respective religions, ”Mishra said.
The families said they did not want any “jhanjhat”. “We are simple people. We somehow manage what we do … When we get permission, the wedding will happen. If we don’t, we’ll see what to do. However, we don’t see any reason for the administration to deny us permission, ”said the groom’s brother.
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
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